School vice principal performs Heimlich on choking student

SAYREVILLE - A school vice principal is credited with helping to save a seventh grade student who began choking during lunch period at the borough middle school last week.

Middle School Vice Principal Alan Squitieri was in the cafeteria around 11:50 a.m. Feb. 26 and could hear that something was wrong in another area.

"The cafeteria is loud, but there seemed to be a little more commotion coming from one area of the cafeteria," Squitieri said. "I happened to look over and there was another student saying 'He's choking! He's choking!'"

Squitieri went to the table and performed the Heimlich maneuver on the 13- year-old boy, then giving him four quick, sharp thrusts to the back.

"He was starting to pass out," Squitieri said.

The vice principal then performed two more Heimlich maneuvers before the object, a mozzarella stick, came out of the boy's mouth.

"Then the nurse came and I actually had him in my arms, because he was standing up from the table," Squitieri said.

The boy's parents were called, and they picked him up from school. Before the boy left, the student thanked Squitieri.

"It is a harrowing experience to go through, and he is a great kid," Squitieri said. "He came to me in the hallway and said 'Thanks again Mr. Squitieri.'"

Squitieri, a Monmouth County resident who has been at Sayreville Middle School for approximately eight years, said that he is glad that he was in the right place at the right time to help the boy.

"We were very lucky, so you kind of count your blessings," Squitieri said.