NEW WINDSOR, New York (WABC) — A school security guard in Orange County was in the right place at the right time to save the life of a young student choking in the cafeteria.
Tyreek Johnson’s job title is security guard, but guardian angel might be more appropriate if you ask first-grader Liyah Ventura.
In November, Ventura choked on a pretzel during lunch and the 7-year-old had the wherewithal to give the universal choking sign.
Johnson sprung into action and performed the Heimlich maneuver on her.
“She made a noise and I kind of like knew at that moment, she can breathe again a little bit,” Johnson said.
Johnson took Ventura to the nurse to be checked out.
On Friday, her parents stopped by the cafeteria of Vails Gate STEAM Academy to thank him.
“I was honestly grateful, we were grateful that he just went right into action…super grateful,” father Raul Ventura said.
Remarkably, Johnson wasn’t even scheduled to be in the cafeteria during that lunchroom period. He was giving another security guard a tour when he noticed something was wrong.
“Our staff is ready to jump in whenever they need to, and the fact that he’s done it more than once, he’s skilled and they get the training that they need, he’s very caring and takes care of our students,” said Principal Gillian Matos.
Yes, it has happened more than once. Eyewitness News profiled Johnson in 2023 when he saved a second-grade student and in 2024, he performed the Heimlich on a fifth-grader.
“Thank God I was there, you know, and I was just truly happy and amazed to be able to help her in that time of need,” Johnson said of saving Ventura.
A guardian angel indeed.
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