Florida school bus driver saves third-grader from choking on candy, district says
VOLUSIA COUNTY, Fla. - According to the school district, a Volusia County bus driver stepped in to help a young boy who was choking on a piece of candy while on the bus.
The incident happened just before Christmas break. The bus driver, Mayrelyn Lopez, said there was a disturbance in the back of the bus shortly after arriving at their first afternoon stop. The disruption, which was completely unrelated to the choking incident, was quickly resolved.
As Lopez was headed back to her seat, she said she saw the boy turning light purple. The boy had just eaten a piece of candy from a Christmas party earlier in the day, and it got stuck in his throat. Surveillance footage shows Lopez springing into action to help the boy.
"I say, ‘Hey, what's going on?’ Grab him and just do ‘this’ so fast," Lopez said as she demonstrated the Heimlich Maneuver.
The action cleared the candy from the boy’s throat. Shortly after, she took him up to the front of the bus to keep an eye on him. The remainder of the ride continued without incident. He was passed on to his mother as he arrived at her stop. Lopez said her instincts kicked in.
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"Thank God, I [stood] up at the right moment," she said. "I was scared."
The boy, Levi Holder, has fully recovered. "She was very nice," Holder said when asked about what he would say to Lopez, "Thank you for saving my life."
FOX 35 News also spoke with Holder's mother. She expressed her gratitude for Lopez's willingness to help and her overall attentiveness in the situation.
"I'd want somebody help my kids if they are in that situation," Lopez said."
FOX 35 News attempted to retrieve the surveillance video.
"Unfortunately, we are not able to share video due to security and privacy concerns," a Volusia Public Schools spokesperson said.