Photo: Kim Tunnicliffe/WBZ NewsRadio
CHELMSFORD, Mass. (WBZ NewsRadio) — High school senior Emily Dirkin saved the life of a man who choked on a piece of food at an assisted living center in Chelmsford, Mass. on Thursday.
Dirkin was working her co-op job at Benchmark Senior Living at Chelmsford Crossings when she saw a resident in a wheelchair start to choke and turn blue. She immediately jumped into action, performing the Heimlich maneuver and dislodging the piece of food that the man was choking on, which saved his life.
“I did three chest thrusts in the right spot, and a piece of food came out. He started breathing and acting normal,” Dirkin said.
Dirkin learned the Heimlich maneuver as a student in the Health Assisting Technical Program at Nashoba Valley Technical High School.
“I was proud that I was able to do it, but I definitely felt like, ‘Wow, that just happened,’ afterwards,” said Dirkin.
Nashoba Tech Principal Jeremy Slotnick said that he was very proud of Dirkin.
“I am always amazed at how professional, capable, and well-prepared for any situation our students tend to be,” said Slotnick.
Reflecting on her actions, Dirkin learned a valuable lesson from the incident.
“You can be anywhere at any time, and anything can happen. If you have the skills to do it, you can really do good in this world,” said Dirkin.
WBZ's Kim Tunnicliffe (@KimWBZ) reports.
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