‘She Saved My Life’: Texas School Bus Driver Performs Heimlich on Choking 7-Year-Old

A Dallas, Texas, school bus driver is being hailed as an “angel” and “hero” after she saved the life of a seven-year-old passenger who was choking on a coin.

A routine September 29 ride from Seagoville North Elementary School became life-threatening when a student, identified only as Preston, put something in his mouth as the school bus sat outside the school, surveillance footage shows.

The young boy rushed up to driver Raquel Radford Baker, Good Morning America (GMA) reported. 

“He appeared to be sick like he was going to throw up,” Baker told GMA. “I opened the door and I said: ‘Go ahead and throw up.’”

However, the tide changed when Preston notified the bus driver that there was a quarter stuck in his throat.

“He can’t die in my arms, I have to save his life,” Baker recalled thinking.

She jumped into action, grabbing the young student, removing him from the bus, and performing the Heimlich maneuver on him.

Surveillance footage shows Baker executing the maneuver several times until the coin was launched out of Preston’s mouth.

“She’s my hero,” Preston said. “She saved my life … She’s an angel.”

According to Baker, that was the first time she had to save a child’s life.

Preston, his mother, and Baker had a tearful reunion on Thursday where the thankful parent expressed her gratitude.

Seven-year-old Preston has promised to keep coins out of his mouth in the future.