Muskogee sixth-grader Davyon Johnson used some valuable life skills during his life skills class last Thursday.
Davyon, who attends the 6th and 7th Grade Academy, used an abdominal thrust on a school mate who was choking on a bottle cap. Later that day, Davyon rescued a woman from a burning house.
Representatives of Muskogee Police Department, Muskogee County Sheriff’s Office and Muskogee Public Schools honored the young hero Tuesday night at the Muskogee Board of Education meeting. Davyon was named an honorary member of the police and sheriff’s departments, according to an MPS Facebook post.
“I felt good, excited,” Davyon said about the honor.
Principal Latricia Dawkins called Davyon a “dual hero.”
“He has always indicated that he wants to be an EMT,” Dawkins said. “So he got to put that desire into action and immediately saved that young man.”
She said the recognition couldn’t have happened to a better person.
“He is just a kind soul and well-liked by his peers and staff alike,” she said.
Dawkins recalled the Thursday incident that earned Davyon the honor. She said a student was trying to fill his water bottle and trying to loosen the cap with his mouth. The cap slipped into his throat, she said.
The choking student stumbled into a nearby classroom, where Davyon happened to be, she said.
“Davyon immediately sprinted over and did the Heimlich maneuver,” Dawkins said. “From the account of the witnesses, when he did it the bottle cap popped out.”
Davyon demonstrated how he got behind the choking student, wrapped his arms around the student and “burped him kind of.”
Davyon saved a woman from her burning house later that day.
“It was a disabled lady and she was walking out of her house,” Davyon said. “She was on her porch. But I thought, being a good citizen, I would cross and help her get into her truck and leave.”
He said the back of the house was on fire, “but it eventually got to the front of the house.”
Davyon said he learned to do the thrust, commonly called the Heimlich maneuver, on YouTube. He said it is a valuable procedure to learn.
“Just in case you’re in the situation I was in, you can know what to do,” he said.
Davyon’s mother LaToya Johnson said she’s not surprised that he behaved the way he did. She said her brother, Wendell Johnson, is an emergency medical technician.”
“I’m just a proud mom,” she said.