LAKEVILLE – Superintendent Alan Strauss presented a counselor and a nurse with plaques because they saved the life of a choking Freetown-Lakeville Middle School Student during a Lakeville-Freetown School Committee meeting on Wednesday, Oct. 18.

“We had a situation where a student was choking on some food from his lunch,” said Freetown-Lakeville Middle School Principal John Higgins. School Adjustment Counselor Charles Mrosk “immediately noticed it, stepped over, and used his training that he’s received over the years as a teacher and performed the Heimlich maneuver.”

“The student was able to clear his breathing tube and was able to continue breathing. We escorted him over to the nurse and Nurse Miraglia did a wonderful job working with the student,” Higgins said. “We were able to make what could have been a bad situation a success.”

Before presenting Mrosk and Miraglia with plaques to thank them for their work, Strauss expressed his appreciation for the staff members. 

“We often talk about staff members and teachers being heroes. The work they do is remarkable,” Strauss said. “What could have been a tragedy was prevented.”

The mother of the student, Kathryn Trost, was also present at the school committee meeting.

“I’m so grateful to be able to stand here in front of everybody with a positive story,” Trost said. “I feel like, unless you were there, you don’t know how serious the situation was, but I can tell you it was serious. It could have gone a very different way and I am just so happy to have my son and so thankful that they did what they were trained to do.”