By Amy Woolvett
THE COAST GUARD
It wasn’t just luck that saved a local Shelburne mom from choking to death last week.
Hazel Keddy was enjoying a meal with her son but when she laughed the situation turned dire as a piece of food lodged down her throat.
“It can happen so quick,” said Keddy.
She stood up and attempted to cough out the object but to no avail.
Karsten Keddy, Hazel’s 26-year old son who was home visiting asked his mother if she was okay.
She shook her head no and held her hands to her throat in the sign of choking.
Keddy’s son, knowing exactly what to do did not hesitate. He immediately went over and administered the Heimlich maneuver.
“Just two quick thrusts and up it came,” she said.
Both had taken a first aid course for their jobs and were trained to perform the Heimlich and CPR.
“Everyone should take their first aid,” said Keddy. “People have the mentality that it is not going to happen to you…but people have to be educated, it could happen at any time.”
Both mother and son are glad with the happy ending but urge others to get trained in CPR and first aid, a certificate easily obtained through the local community college.
“I wasn’t scared,” said Karsten. “I just remembered my training and got up to do it…I needed to get my CPR for work but ended up using it for this situation…you never know where you’ll be and when you will need it.”
