Student Choking On Pizza Saved By Eichelberger Elementary Nurse: D202

PLAINFIELD, IL — A John F. Kennedy Middle School student choking on cheese pizza was saved by the Eichelberger Elementary School nurse, district officials said in a news release.

Nurse Mena Powell was "in the right place at the right time," having been filling in on nursing needs next door to her home elementary school when the student began choking. Officials did not say when the incident occurred but shared a news release with the story on Monday.

According to the release from Plainfield Community Consolidated School District 202, the middle schooler was eating with friends in the lunchroom when they noticed the child choking.

The friends alerted the staff, who called in Powell. The nurse found the student "alert but hunched over their tray," she said.

"I was able to go behind the student and perform the Heimlich with three-to-four thrusts," she explained, adding the student expelled a few small bites of pizza onto the tray.

Once the student was able to catch their breath, the nurse asked if they were able to walk to the nurse's office, where she gave the student water and contacted the parents, officials said.

"Nurse Mena reacted quickly to make sure the student was safe and to support the student," JFK Middle School Principal AJ Hundal said in a statement.

Eichelberger Elementary School Principal Trevor Harris echoed Hundal's sentiments, saying he was "glad Nurse Mena was there to help this student."