A young Virginia teacher owes her life to three first grade students who jumped into action when she began choking during class.
Most of us would become nervous even just thinking about handling an emergency. Our hands and legs would freeze in a moment where every second matters.
But when God chooses someone as small as a child to face such a situation, He gives them the strength to do what even adults struggle to do.
Madison Swift teaches first grade at Lakeview Elementary School in Colonial Heights. She’s only 23 years old and was in her first year of teaching. Last month, something scary happened in her classroom that could have ended very differently.
Swift was eating while she worked with a student. Suddenly, food got stuck in her throat. She couldn’t breathe. Her face turned red. Her eyes turned red too. The young teacher was in real trouble.
Three of her students saw what was happening. Seven year old Kolton Hersh sat right next to Swift. He acted fast. He bent his teacher over and started hitting her back. He did back blows, just like you’re supposed to do when someone is choking.
Six year old Dereck Contreras-Franco ran to the wall and pushed the emergency call button. When the office answered, he yelled that their teacher was choking. Other students joined in, all of them shouting for help.
Six year old Bryson Doss ran out of the classroom. He went to get another teacher from across the hall. “I knew that she was choking and I knew I needed to get another teacher,” Doss said.
Swift remembers exactly what saved her. “The student next to me bent me over and started doing back blows to my back to where I dislodged the food,” she said. “They 100 percent saved my life.”
The teacher said the boys knew what to do because of the relationship they built together. From the first day of school, Swift worked to build trust and love with her students. When they saw her in trouble, they didn’t freeze up. They jumped right into action.
At the end of that week, Swift gave each boy a prize from her classroom treasure box. The school also honored them on Facebook.
“We are so proud of these three first graders!” the school wrote. “They jumped into action when they noticed that their teacher was choking. Thank you to our Lakeview heroes!”
Swift commented on the post too. “My little life savers!!” she wrote with a red heart.
These three little boys showed remarkable courage to act in a crucial situation. This story reminds us that God can use anyone at any age for His purpose.
Let this story be a reminder to thank God for His protection and to teach our young ones to be bold, kind, and ready to help.
If this story touched you, share it and let it encourage someone else today.
WATCH: Quick-Thinking First Graders Save Their Teacher’s Life
