Hero teacher's assistant saves child from choking at elementary school

BARTOW COUNTY, Ga. — A Bartow County teacher's assistant is being hailed a hero after saving a kindergartner who was choking on a piece of candy.

Channel 2's Berndt Petersen was at Hamilton Crossing Elementary School in Cartersville, where 5-year-old Mayah DeLoera got a piece of peppermint candy lodged in her throat at school Thursday.

Mayah and her classmates were given the candy treats in Mia Gilstrap's class. Gilstrap talked to Petersen about the terrifying moment she realized Mayah was choking.

"Her face did not look as it normally does," Gilstrap said. "So then I tried to do what I've seen before, the Heimlich."

Gilstrap admits she wasn't quite sure how to do it, so she ran across the hall to get the school nurse.

In the meantime, teacher's assistant Vicki Rader raced to Mayah's side.

"I think I just basically kicked into 'mama mode,'" Rader said. "Actually, I've never done that before."

Rader said she was trained in the Heimlich Maneuver, but many years ago.

"Years ago in CPR, we were trained to do that," Rader said. "But I never actually had to do it in the 27 years that I've been here."

Rader said she performed the move once or twice on Mayah, and the candy came out.

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By Friday, Mayah was back to her normal self in the classroom, working alongside other students on an art project.

"You never know," Principal Lynn Robertson said. "She was just the angel in the right place at the right time. She took care of that little girl like she was her own little girl."

Mayah's mom met Rader Friday to thank her in person for saving her daughter's life.

"That was the best thing ever," Rader said. "Of everything that's been said and done, that was the best, to meet her mom."

Gilstrap said Rader's actions Thursday were just one indication of how important she is in the classroom.

"She's always our hero," Gilstrap said. "Not just because of what she did for Mayah, but what she does every day."