Florida teacher saves choking student in classroom

What a wild week it has been for Corey McCormack.  The teacher at Silver Sands Middle School in Port Orange led a huge field trip to Orlando on Tuesday, but almost a week ago, and in between meetings with parents and grading projects, she saved a life.  It happened in her classroom during second period Social Studies. Sixth-grader Timothy Monahan was sitting at his desk, eating a piece of sour candy, when it got lodged in his throat.

"Panic probably set in by the time I could realize not much air is coming in and out," he explained. "I’m thinking that, well this is probably, probably gonna be it."

Things began to go dark, and he tried to scream for help but he could not muster the needed sound.  As his knees grew wobbly, he feared for the worst.  Tim’s teacher was working at her desk and heard a noise.  She saw the 11-year-old struggling, standing red in the face and asked if he was kidding.  When he shook his head no, she darted across the room.  She knew there wasn’t time to find another staff member to help.

"[I] turned him around, and you know, did the Heimlich three times, and that’s when he kind of gagged.  Like it must have moved it," McCormack said.   She banged on his back a few times and her student’s airway opened up.   "I see Ms. McCormack going, 'Nobody dies in my classroom!' and gives me a high five."

"We just thank God that Ms. McCormack was here at that moment," said Timothy's mother, Amy Monahan.  She is forever grateful to her son’s teacher turned hero.  "She saved his life.  She saved his life.  I owe her my life. I owe her everything. I owe her.  It’s just. You cannot put to words, you just can’t."