Muriel
Denue is literally a life saver.
On September 20, the 20-year district
employee saved the life of a Tamarac Elementary School student
who started choking during lunch in the school cafeteria.
"It was just a quick reaction. Thank God I
was there at the right moment," Ms. Denue said. "I'm so glad it
worked. I think anyone in the same situation would have done the
same thing."
Ms. Denue works as a teaching assistant at
Tamarac Elementary, where she works one-on-one with a
third-grade student with special needs.
Because of the student's disability, she
wears a body brace. As a result, when Ms. Denue noticed the
student was choking, she first tried to hit her back to dislodge
the food. When that didn't work, Ms. Denue had to calmly take
the brace off before administering the Heimlich maneuver.
"She even thanked me when it was over," Ms.
Denue recalled. "That made me cry."
Ms. Denue sent third grader Katherine
Machnick to get the nurse for her. She marveled at the student's
calmness during the situation.
"She was wonderful. She stayed so calm,"
Ms. Denue said. "I tell her all the time when I see her, 'You
were amazing. Thank you so much.' "
Elementary School Principal Karen Lederman
marveled at Ms. Denue's own calmness. Removing the brace is not
an easy process, Mrs. Lederman noted.
"She had the presence of mind to do all
that," Mrs. Lederman said. "She really did save her life."
After the incident, Ms. Denue received a
gift basket and card from the student's mother thanking her for
saving her child's life.
"She said I was her daughter's angel," Ms.
Denue said.
