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Heroes

11-year-old hero helped save a kid from choking and a woman from a house fire—on the same day

hero, oklahoma, heimlich
Muskogee Public Schools/Facebook

Davyon Johnson was a hero twice in one day.

It's not every day that you get to save one life, much less two. And it's definitely not every day that a person who plays the lifesaving hero twice in the same day is only 11 years old.

Sixth-grader Davyon Johnson was having an ordinary day at the 6th & 7th Grade Academy in Muskogee, Oklahoma on December 9 when a student stumbled into his classroom. According to the Muskogee Phoenix, the student had been trying to get a lid off his water bottle, and when he pulled it with his teeth, it had gotten lodged in his throat. Fortunately, Davyon knew exactly what to do.

“Davyon immediately sprinted over and did the Heimlich maneuver,” school principal Latricia Dawkins told the Phoenix. “From the account of the witnesses, when he did it the bottle cap popped out.”

Davyon had taught himself the Heimlich maneuver from YouTube because he thought it was a valuable thing to learn. "Just in case you’re in the situation I was in," he said. "You can know what to do."

Impressive, especially for an 11-year-old. But that wasn't the only heroic act Davyon performed that day.

Davyon also helped an elderly woman escape a burning house later the same day. He told KOTV that he saw a woman with a walker leaving her burning house, but he was worried she was moving too slowly.

“It was a disabled lady and she was walking out of her house,” Davyon told the Phoenix. “She was on her porch. But I thought, being a good citizen, I would cross and help her get into her truck and leave.”

The fire was at the back of the house when he saw her leaving, but it eventually spread to the front of the house, he said.

Principal Dawkins said that Davyon has talked about wanting to be an EMT and Davyon's mother, LaToya Johnson, told the Phoenix that Davyon's uncle is an EMT.

"I'm just a proud mom," she said.

The Muskogee Police Department and Muskogee County Sheriff's Office presented Davyon with a certificate making him an honorary member of their force. The Muskogee school board also honored Davyon at one of its meetings.

Davyon said he felt "good" and "excited" about the honor.

“He is just a kind soul and well-liked by his peers and staff alike,” said Principal Dawkins.

Well done, Davyon.

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