CLINTON TOWNSHIP, Mich. (WXYZ) — An 8-year-old Clinton Township student is grateful to be alive after her school principal performed the Heimlich maneuver to save her from choking on a water bottle cap.
Watch Evan Sery's video report:
Earlier this month, Piper Irwin was in her second-grade classroom at Miami Elementary School when she went to take a sip from her water bottle. Without realizing the cap was still on, the tiny cap shot into the back of her throat when she tried to drink.
"It was really painful, in my mouth, really hard to get it out," Piper said. "I couldn't get it out, and then the principal helped me."
Dr. Katie Shellabarger, the school's principal who students call "Dr. S," was in a meeting when she heard an emergency call over her walkie-talkie. She immediately sprinted to Piper's classroom and found the student struggling to breathe.
"Her breathing was very gaspy, so we knew something was blocking her from being able to breathe," Shellabarger said.
Dr. S performed the Heimlich maneuver for about 30 seconds before the bottle cap finally came out, allowing Piper to breathe normally again.
"It felt good, but felt like the bottle cap was still in there," Piper said about the moment the cap was dislodged.
Since the incident, the principal and student have formed a special bond. Every time they see each other in the hallways, they exchange big smiles and greetings. Sometimes Piper even seeks out Dr. S in her office.
Shellabarger is part of the school's Medical Emergency Response Team (MERT), which trains staff in CPR, first aid, AED operation, and the Heimlich maneuver. She noted that water bottle caps seem to be getting smaller and their threads are so slim that they can pop off easily if not properly secured.
When asked if she feels like a hero, Shellabarger was modest about her life-saving actions.
"No," she said. "I would have done it for anybody, and that's what we're trained to do in our profession."
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