Quick thinking, teamwork, and preparation turned a frightening hallway moment into a powerful lesson in readiness
During a routine class change at Dickerson Middle School on November 3, 2025, an ordinary school day suddenly became a life-or-death situation. As students moved through the halls, Principal Brad Blackman noticed one student struggling and initially thought the child might be sick. “I thought the student was getting sick,” he recalled.
Health and physical education teacher Megan Fisher quickly realized something was seriously wrong.
“I saw him open a water bottle with his mouth. He wasn’t twisting it. Then all of a sudden I didn’t see the cap come out, and he started to cough,” she said. “Everybody else just thought he was getting sick, but I said, ‘No, he’s choking.’”
Megan immediately jumped into action, and within moments, her sister and fellow teacher, Maureen McLaughlin, was by her side.
“It’s one of those moments where you hope your instincts take over,” she said. “We’ve trained for emergencies like this, but you never really think you’ll have to do it.”
Working together, the sisters alternated between back blows and the Heimlich maneuver until the bottle cap finally came loose. The student took a deep breath, and the crisis was over almost as quickly as it began.
“It felt longer than it probably was because our adrenaline was pumping,” Megan said. “But as soon as I saw what was happening, I knew Maureen was there to help me. It was comforting to have her there.”
By the time School Nurse Vanessa Moulthrop arrived, the danger had already passed.
“I ran down the hall, but by the time I got there, they had already resolved the issue,” she said. “They responded so quickly that the student was breathing and completely fine by the time I arrived. I always joke that I’ve trained myself out of a job.”
That rapid response was no accident. Dickerson’s First Responder Team, comprised of trained staff members throughout the school, regularly conducts emergency drills.
“They’re all certified in CPR, adult and child, and choking response,” Moulthrop explained. “We run multiple drills throughout the year to build muscle memory, so when a real emergency happens, they just react.”
The school’s preparation recently earned Dickerson recognition as a Heart Safe School, and this real-life emergency proved why that designation matters. Watching it all unfold, Principal Blackman felt both fear and pride.
“Student safety is always our number one priority,” he said. “When you see a child choking, your first thought is ‘What can I do?’ But Ms. Fisher acted so quickly. There really wasn’t anything for me to do but let them carry it out.”
The weight of the moment hit later.
“It’s amazing because there are a lot of people who either wouldn’t know what to do or would panic or freeze,” he said. “Later I thought, ‘Oh my gosh, they saved a kid’s life.’”
Because of their actions, Megan and Maureen were honored with the district’s “Heroes Among Us” award, though they remain humble.
“We just did what anyone would do,” McLaughlin said. Megan added, “It didn’t really hit us until then that that’s actually what happened.”
The sisters say the experience reaffirmed their belief in the strength of their school community and leadership. Principal Blackman summed it up best.
“They deserve every bit of recognition they get,” he said. “They’re the reason a family didn’t face tragedy that day. ‘Thank you’ doesn’t do justice.”
Stories like this remind us that heroes often don’t wear uniforms or capes — they wear teacher badges and carry lesson plans. Training saves lives, and so does the willingness to act without hesitation. What happened at Dickerson Middle School is proof that investing in preparedness and people truly makes the difference when seconds matter most.
Source:
- https://youtu.be/vE8Shf7vSEo?si=agvfbXEvNoowi75g
- https://www.cobbk12.org/dickerson/quick-thinking-teamwork-and-training-saves-a-student-s-life-at-dickerson-middle-school.120816
- https://chatgpt.com/
- https://aistudio.google.com/
About Author
