Now Drake has another reason to look up to his big brother. Good job Alex, you should be very proud of yourself!
City
Webelo Scout's big squeeze dislodges Tootsie Roll from little brother's windpipe
Oct 31, 2009 12:00 am
Daryn Slover/Sun Journal
Drake Gibbert, 4, gives his 10-year-old brother, Alex Whitehouse, a hug at their home in Turner on Friday. Whitehouse saved his brother with the Heimlich maneuver after a piece of candy got lodged in Gibbert's throat.
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TURNER — Webelo Scout Alex Whitehouse earned his Readyman pin a year ago, showing he'd mastered some basic lifesaving skills.
Thursday was the first chance he had to put them to use.
Alex, 10, and his two younger brothers were upstairs in their Parish Hill Road home, getting ready for bed. Brother Damian Bailey, 8, had gone to his own room. Brother Drake Gibbert, 4, had sneaked a piece Tootsie Roll from the family's Halloween stash and was in Alex' bedroom, happily jumping on Alex's bed.
"I told him to stop," Alex said. "I'd told him that before, that I didn't want him jumping on my bed."
He should've listened. Drake fell off the bed and the candy lodged in his throat.
"He started making this sound, like he was going to hurl," Alex said.
Ever the scout, Alex grabbed him, pushed his head down and hugged him in the Heimlich maneuver, just like his Webelos handbook had taught him. The candy popped loose, and Drake began crying.
"He was real mad, because he didn't get to finish the Tootsie Roll," Alex said.
Mother Michelle Gibbert said she was downstairs checking her e-mail when boys came down together, Alex leading his crying brother.
"It happened really quickly, but Alex did just the right thing," she said. "That's what I'm most proud of. He kept his head about him."
Gibbert, the Cub Master for her son's Pack 187 in Turner, said she was glad he'd had the training.
"I mean, that's what it's there for, to give them some life lessons they wouldn't get otherwise," Gibbert said. Alex has been matter-of-fact about his exploits Thursday night.
"And Drake tells people that Alex saved him," Gibbert said. "I told my folks that they should be pretty proud of Alex, because he did a big thing for his brother."
Comments
GREAT JOB ALEX. ALSO FOR
Submitted by BOOBER on Sat, 10/31/2009 - 09:22.
GREAT JOB ALEX. ALSO FOR 1231414 ITS REALLY NONE OF YOUR DAMN BUISNESS IF SHE HAD 10 KIDS WITH 10 LAST NAMES.THATS THE PROBLEM NO A DAYS PEOPLE CANT MIND THEIR OWN DAMN BUISNESS.OBVIOUSLY SHES DOING A GOOD JOB RAISING THOSE BOYS BYE THE ARTICLE.SO IF YOU HAVE NOTHING NICE TO SAY KEEP YOUR TRAP SHUT
AS I SEE IT, by Mainer Mike
Submitted by mainermike on Sat, 10/31/2009 - 08:55.
AS I SEE IT, by Mainer Mike Brown
A story with a happy ending-it's nice to read about one considering that all you read about is bad news on the internet and in the newspapers.
Three brothers, three last
Submitted by 1231414 on Sat, 10/31/2009 - 08:51.
Three brothers, three last names. So typical of Maine families.
Just as brave as you are,
Submitted by tron on Sat, 10/31/2009 - 11:45.
Just as brave as you are, posting a critique under an alias without divulging your true identity.
Bravo! To those who have
Submitted by Robert61 on Sat, 10/31/2009 - 08:11.
Bravo! To those who have posted derogatory coments about Scouting in these very blogs, I say, remember this moment!
To equate knowing and using
Submitted by tron on Sat, 10/31/2009 - 08:29.
To equate knowing and using abdominal thrusts with scouting is a stretch. I commend this young man, but I would like to know how he learned this procedure. Was it from the American Heart Association or the Americna Red Cross, both excellent organizations? If so scouting was a mere conduit, such as would the various classrom kids I've taught on the procedures. As a CPR and First Aid instructor I recommend EVERYONE learn these life saving procedures, whether they're a scout or not.
Tron writes: "but I would
Submitted by news4u on Sat, 10/31/2009 - 20:06.
Tron writes: "but I would like to know how he learned this procedure. Was it from the American Heart Association or the Americna Red Cross, ..."
Does it matter how or where he learned it? The point is he performed the Heimlich Maneuver correctly and saved his brother's life. Enough said!
tron as a CPR
Submitted by Robert61 on Sat, 10/31/2009 - 19:59.
tron as a CPR instructor...doubtful, how do you get down on your knees to demonstrate?
I made do, granted I don't
Submitted by tron on Sat, 10/31/2009 - 22:44.
I made do, granted I don't have the experience.....
As a Webelos Scout he most
Submitted by Robert61 on Sat, 10/31/2009 - 15:46.
As a Webelos Scout he most likely learned th eprocedure as part of earning his readyman badge, most likely taught by a trained professional, such as your neice and godchild (my wife). Bottom line, would he have known what to do if he had not been in the Scouting program - probably not, and defintiely not at 10 years old! But hey way to knock down a wonderful story about a young man who may have saved his brothers life!
I'm impress, besides being
Submitted by tron on Sat, 10/31/2009 - 18:54.
I'm impress, besides being an RN your wife is also a certified First Aid and CPR instructor, since your Webelos won't be allowed to claim knowledge unless they were properly trained. It's about the right age, fourth and fifth graders are who I trained at St. Mary's, in Augusta>
Thats funny, you, in
Submitted by Robert61 on Sat, 10/31/2009 - 20:00.
Thats funny, you, in Augusta, with no license, no car..come on quit the story telling...
Quite verbose! Did you get
Submitted by tron on Sat, 10/31/2009 - 15:00.
Quite verbose! Did you get tired of using your OTHER alias?
To be able to react in an
Submitted by SRV on Sat, 10/31/2009 - 08:10.
To be able to react in an instant when most would be panicking is extraordinary. Also a wounderful testament to his training as a scout.
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Wow, what a great thing you
Wow, what a great thing you did Alex!!