Elementary Students, Smithtown School Aide Save Life Of Choking Girl

SMITHTOWN, NY — The swift actions of two girls and a lunch aide saved a girl's life at Accompsett Elementary School in Smithtown on Jan. 17.

As fourth-grader Cassie Thode ate lunch, her friend started choking and nearly fainted.

"At first, I thought she was joking, then I saw her put her hands on her neck and her head dropped down on the table," Cassie, 9, told Patch.

Cassie and her friend Carley Baltieri ran to Stacy Unger, a lunch aide.

Unger rushed to the girl, asked if she was OK, and then wrapped her arms around her and performed the Heimlich maneuver. The girl began gasping and breathing.

"I couldn't believe I had helped to save my best friend's life," Cassie said. "Mrs. Unger is the real hero, though."

Laurie Thode, Cassie's mother, said she was impressed with her daughter's ability to "think on her toes." She said her daughter's ability to keep calm in an emergency is "reassuring."

"I am fortunate to have a daughter that is able to react instinctively rather than panic," Thode said. "I am proud of her."

Lisa Hennessy, who teaches Cassie, had a morning meeting on the front carpet the following day and presented Unger with flowers and thanked her for being a hero, said Cassie.

Hennessy explained that people must chew their food well and discussed the dangers of talking while eating, according to Cassie.

"I send my children off to school each day and just hope that they are safe," Thode said. "This event certainly reassured me. Ms. Unger is an invaluable asset to the school district. To remain calm when you see a child not breathing must have been frightening. I appreciate Superintendent Dr. Mark Secaur’s commitment to ensuring his staff is well-trained during emergencies."

Cassie, after helping to rescue her friend, asked if she could learn the Heimlich maneuver. Laurie said it would not be a bad idea for the maneuver to be taught in schools.

"We often say 'if you see something, say something,'" Secaur said. "And we are very happy that one of our students took that to heart when she acted quickly to alert a staff member that a fellow student was choking. Their quick actions allowed the student to get the assistance she needed and we are very proud of them."