June 1-7 marks National CPR and AED Awareness Week. During this time, the American Heart Association hopes to shine a light on CPR, but also a related survival technique of the Heimlich Maneuver, which can save people from choking.
A recent training at Godfrey-Lee Middle School led to one student stepping up to help another who was choking in the cafeteria. Both of those students, Arturo Fierros-Cervantes and Edgar Vazquez, came on the show to talk about their experience.
Edgar was leaving the cafeteria, finishing his hamburger, when he took a bite and couldn't breathe. He turned to his friend, Arturo, and tried to communicate with hand signals that he was choking.
Once Arturo understood what was happening, he took the knowledge that he learned from a CPR class he took in school and gave Edgar the Heimlich Maneuver. The piece of hamburger went flying out of Edgar's throat, saving his life.
For more information on CPR or the American Heart Association, visit heart.org/cpr.
