SOUTHGATE, Mich. – A Southgate school bus driver is being credited with saving the life of a 7-year-old Northpointe Elementary School student.
Christina McIver was dropping students off along her bus route when she noticed something seemed off. One of the kids started slowing down in the middle of the street.
“I yelled, ‘Hey, let’s cross the street,’” McIver said to the student. “She looked back at me, and I noticed she was choking.” McIver quickly put the bus in park.
Skylar’s mom, Christina Clark, noticed there was a problem, too. Clark, who doesn’t normally sit and wait at the bus stop, was there that day because it was raining.
“I was like, ‘Are you breathing,’” Clark said. “Skylar shook her head no. ‘Are you choking?’ Skylar shook her head yes. I looked at Christina and I said, ‘She’s choking! She’s choking!’”
Skylar wasn’t feeling well that day, and her airway became clogged with her own congestion. McIver, with remarkable bravery, performed the Heimlich maneuver.
After the second attempt, Skylar’s breathing was restored. McIver attributes her success to the on-the-job training she received from Dean Transportation, which equipped her with the necessary skills to save Skylar’s life.
“Everything we trained for and hope we never have to do, she performed with no hesitation,” said Dean Transportation Supervisor Toni Thomas.
McIver’s colleagues gave her a standing ovation and presented her with an award. She will be honored for her actions on Tuesday, April 23 at Southgate City Hall.
Over the weekend, Skylar received a visit from Clark, who was there to check on her and bring her a card.
“I was taken away,” said Northpointe Elementary School Principal Danielle Jozwiak. “I don’t know how people can act in that moment of bravery and courageousness of knowing what to do, and how to do it, and saving a child’s life in the moment.”
Principal Jozwiak was thrilled to see Skylar when she returned back to school.
“Just a wonderful feeling knowing that person is taking care of our children, getting them to school safely, getting them home safely ... [it’s] a true reflection of the kinship that defines our school,” Jozwiak said.