7-Year-Old David Diaz Jr. Saves Choking Classmate Using Procedure Learned on TV
A 7-year-old boy named David Diaz Jr. heroically saved one of his classmates from choking on their lunch using the Heimlich maneuver, which he learned from ABC’s medical drama “The Good Doctor.”
According to Fox News, David, who is a student at Woodrow Wilson Elementary school in Binghamton, New York, started watching the show with his father, David Diaz Sr., over the last year. “If anybody is choking or is in danger, you always have to save them,” David Jr. said to the outlet, adding, “If you don’t, then that could be really sad.”
The boy sprung into action after realizing he was closer to the student than any of the teachers assigned to monitor the lunchroom. A second-grade teacher at Woodrow Wilson Elementary named Kristin Korba recalled seeing David jump behind the student and perform the Heimlich maneuver.
After David saved his fellow classmate, Korba “went over right after it happened and checked [on the student who choked],” adding, “He was cleared by the nurse and parents [were] contacted.”
According to Today, David cited “The Good Doctor” as his inspiration, describing it as “a show about this kid that knows a lot about bodies. When he grows up, he becomes a doctor.”
The 7-year-old also said that, when he learned about the maneuver on the show, he made sure to “remember it” because it felt like “important” information.
David has been hailed as a hero by his classmates, teachers and parents, and was even visited by New York State Sen. Fred Akshar, who awarded him the New York State Senate Commendation Award, reports the Daily Mail. “We were proud to present David Jr. with a New York State Senate Commendation Award for exemplifying what it means to be a hero in his community,” said Akshar.
The boy’s father expressed how proud he was of his son, saying, “He’s an angel in my eyes.” He also noted that, if his son did want to become a doctor, “I’ll be happy to help him achieve that later in life. But it’s really up to him.” As for what David wants to do, he admits, “I probably want to be, like, a basketball player.”