In Dallas Texas there is a boy thankful to his bus driver for saving his life after he swallowed a coin

Preston Bell Age

Preston Bell is seven years old.

Preston Bell Coin Incident

It was on the morning of Sept. 29, surveillance video from a Dallas ISD school bus shows the moment that Preston swallows a quarter and begins to choke. Preston, who is a first grader at Seagoville North, is seen laughing with other students when he appears to put somethin in his mouth. Seconds later, he alerts Radford Baker, a veteran driver for Dallas Independent school District, that he had swallowed a coin and motions for help.

There is a penny in my throat! Preston said

A penny? Radford Baker responded.

From the surveillance footage, the first grader is seen slumping up to the floor before he eventually gets up and stumbles his way forward.

the boy recalled, “I walked up to the bus driver holding my neck because I could not breathe. I couldn’t talk,”

I was trying to tell her that I was choking on a quarter and it hurts very bad.

Radford Baker Jumps to Action to Save Preston

Radford Baker, who is trained in CPR and first aid quickly jumped into action.

He appeared sick, as if he needed to throw up,” Radford recalled.

But the boy did not throw up.

I opened the door. I said, ‘Go ahead and throw up,’. And he turned back to me and he was -looked like he was in trouble with breathing, ‘Radford Baker Continued.

He can’t die in my arms. The bus driver stated.

After initially appearing startled, the bus driver Raquel Radford Baker takes just moments to jump into action, swiftly guiding Preston off the bus that was stopped outside of Seagoville North elementary. She asked a nearby parent to call 911 while she began performing the Heimlich maneuver and seconds later, the coin was dislodged.

She was there to save him that day,’ Bell said.

It turns out that Radford Baker who is a 17-year employee of Dallas ISD’s Transportation services, was just filling in on Preston’s route that day, as such putting her in the right place at exactly the right time.

Mom Thankful after Radford Baker Saves Her son

After the incident, Bell along with her parents, have since had the opportunity to meet Radford Baker in person, thanking her for heroic efforts the family will never forget.

She is part of our family. She is part of us. The mother said.

Preston added of Radford Baker, ‘I think she is my hero because she saved my life.’

Radford credited CPR and first aid training she received through Dallas ISD for helping her save Preston.

I’m still in shock, I can’t believe this actually happened,’ Radford-Baker Said. ‘I’m just grateful that I was able to save him.’

She said she’d love to see it become part of the professional development but drivers receive during the year. Bell said she’s now planning to get CPR trained and hopes sharing story will encourage others to do the same.

How is Heimlich maneuver Performed?

According to Mayo clinic, if a person can’t cough, talk, cry, or laugh forcefully , give first aid to the person by following the following steps:

• Give five back blows. Stand to the side and just behind a choking adult. For a child, kneel down behind. Place your arm across the person’s chest to support the person’s body. Bend the person over at the waist to face the ground. Strike five separate times between the person’s shoulder blades with the heel of your hand.
• Give five abdominal thrusts. If back blows don’t remove the stuck object, give five abdominal thrusts, also known as the Heimlich maneuver.
• Alternate between five blows and five thrusts until the blockage is dislodged.