Norine Burhite says she learned the Heimlich maneuver about 10 years ago.
By Jim Smedley
Staff Writer

NORWAY – Teacher Norine “Maggie” Burhite asked her class several times if they were ready for snack time.

Sometimes it is not that easy for 5-year-olds in kindergarten to solve the mysteries of plastic wrap on goodies, take off tops from plastic containers and open milk cartons.

They were ready. She turned down the lights.

“We like to make snack time quiet time,” she said.

But the snack time at Guy E. Rowe School on Sept. 4 was not quiet for Burhite.

One child piped up that he couldn’t open his milk.

Burhite said she thought it odd since she had asked if anyone needed help several times.

While assisting him with his milk she caught a wide-eyed expression on a boy near him out of the corner of her eye.

“I asked if he was all right,” Burhite said.

She received no answer.

“I asked him two more times quickly if he was all right,” she said. “As I asked the second time he got up quickly and put his hands to his throat.

“I knew he was choking,” she said.

She said the boy raced around the table in a panicked reaction. She turned to him, but he was faster than she was.

She ended up catching him from behind and immediately put her arms around him in the Heimlich maneuver position and pressed inward.

“He actually helped me because he was going forward as I was pulling back.”

Within seconds a piece of mango flew several feet across the room.

Then he started to cry.

“It was a good cry. It was wonderful to hear it,” Burhite said. “I knew he would be OK.

“I told him he was brave and then sent him immediately to the nurse,” she said “Later I talked to the class about the universal sign for choking.”

Burhite had been trained in the Heimlich maneuver about 10 years ago when she taught in Kansas. A child in her district had choked to death. She said it prompted teachers to learn the Heimlich maneuver.

She said some people might call the recent incident a matter of luck, but she believes it was divine intervention.

“I have an overwhelming sense that I was meant to be in that place at that time,” Burhite said. “I was grateful for that child not being able to open his milk.”

When the child’s mother picked him up she thanked Burhite. Later that evening when Burhite called to make sure the child was not traumatized by the events, the boy’s father thanked her.

She received a nice letter from Principal George Sincerbeaux and was acknowledged by the school board.

Burhite doesn’t fear snack time now, but does think about changing the offerings.

“I’d like to serve Instant Breakfast from now on for snacks,” she said.

jsmedley@sunjournal.com

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