A teacher's assistant is being recognized Monday for saving the life of a choking student in La Mirada.
Jimmy Chavez leapt into action when a colleague spotted 7-year-old Kevin Sandoval turning red as he ate his lunch at the Dulles Elementary school cafeteria, before he started banging on the furniture in despair during the Oct. 3 incident.
"I knew right away something was wrong. He was banging at the table and pointing at his mouth and I jumped up," special education teacher's aide Caryn Cerda said.
Chavez, who became certified in CPR in January, put his lifesaving knowledge to good use, twice performing the Heimlich maneuver to dislodge two pieces of beef teriyaki that had stuck in his throat.
"I'm glad to be there at the right place, at the right time," Chavez said. "I didn't know what to think. I was in shock. I didn't realize I saved someone's life. I was in such shock at the time. It was my first time ever doing something like this. I'm glad I went to the (CPR) class."
The teacher's aides and janitor who kept the other children calm during the incident are being honored by the Norwalk-La Mirada Unified School District Monday night, however Chavez says he is the lucky one due to the time he gets to spend with Kevin.
"He's a very lovable kid and I love to have him in my life," Chavez said. "I feel very honored to be in his life and to have done what I did."
Local
Get Los Angeles's latest local news on crime, entertainment, weather, schools, COVID, cost of living and more. Here's your go-to source for today's LA news.
And it seems the feeling is mutual from his young friend and his mother Lucy Sandoval.
"I'm very thankful and grateful of him and everybody to help my son because they saved my son's life," Lucy Sandoval said. "I'm proud of this school and thankful for Mr. Jimmy. I love my son so much and I don't even want to think about what might have happened if Mr. Jimmy wasn't there."
The actions of Chavez and his fellow workers have been praised by Norwalk-La Mirada Unified School District Interim Superintendent Ginger Shattuck.
"I want to personally thank (Chavez) for taking the initiative to obtain this critical safety training that no doubt made an impact on this child's life," Shattuck said.
