LEICESTER, MASS. (WHDH) - A 12-year-old was recently in the right place at the right time, jumping to help her twin brother when he started choking while at school in Leicester.
The sister said it was intuition that told her what to do.
Both siblings opened up this week, telling 7NEWS about the scary situation.
“I don’t know what I could do to repay her,” said Charlie Loverme.
The incident happened inside Leicester Middle School last Friday. Charlie said he was chewing on cheese when the food got stuck in his throat.
“So, I got up and I started signaling that I was choking,” he said.
Cafeteria cameras captured video of Charlie, 12, stumbling toward his sister, who was sitting at a different table. Charlie’s sister, Amelia, immediately reacted.
“I knew that I needed to help him and he clearly couldn’t breathe,” Amelia said. “I wrapped my hands around his waist and started squeezing him.”
Amelia said her father taught her the Heimlich maneuver when she was younger.
“Like most parents, you just think they tune it out, maybe they’ll recall it if they need it, or they’re half listening,” the father, Jason, said after this incident. “But clearly she had it in her brain and she recalled it and acted and helped Charlie as fast as she could.”
The actions turned Amelia into a school hero, earning praise from Leicester Middle School Principal Doug Daponde.
“I’m getting emotional now just thinking of it,” Daponde said. “There’s a lot of adults that would freeze and not know what to do, but for a middle school student to do what she did — quite amazing.”
Charlie describes his twin, who is older by 45 minutes, as “bossy.” After this situation, though, he said he is thankful she took charge.
“Anytime he’s trying to steal the front seat or something, I’ll say ‘I saved your life, do you remember that?’” Amelia said.
Charlie was checked out by the school nurse after his choking scare. He was unharmed and was playing sports later the same day.
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