History
From the archives, 1980: Boy, 9, saves fellow student from choking
Stars and Stripes
April 17, 2024
Derek Dixon, 9 (left) and J.T. Williams III, 9, on the playground. J.T., son of Spec. 4 William and Karen Carroll, saved Derek’s life by performing the Heimlich maneuver when he saw his friend choking at lunch. (Bob Crockett/Stars and Stripes)
This article first appeared in the Stars and Stripes Europe edition, Nov. 22, 1980. It is republished unedited in its original form.
FRANKFURT — When 9-year-old J.T. Williams III transferred into Kathryn Willers’ fourth grade class at Frankfurt Elementary School No. 2 a few weeks ago he was just another new student.
Today he’s a hero.
Monday his classmate, Derek Dixon, 9, son of Spec. 5 Anthony and Myrna Dixon, was eating his lunch and talking when a piece of chicken got lodged in his throat. He couldn’t talk — or breathe.
Derek Dixon, 9 (left) and J.T. Williams III pose on the playground at Frankfurt Elementary School. J.T., son of Spec. 4 William and Karen Carroll saved Derek’s life by performing the Heimlich maneuver when he saw his friend choking at lunch. (Bob Crockett/Stars and Stripes)
J.T. Williams III (left) and Derek Dixon, 9, pose on the playground. (Bob Crockett/Stars and Stripes)
J.T. Williams III, 9 (left) demonstrates how he saved his classmate Derek Dixon, 9 from choking, by performing the Heimlich Maneuver. (Bob Crockett/Stars and Stripes)
Remembering a film the class had seen on how to help someone who was choking, J.T. slapped Derek four times on the back. Still the food was stuck. So J.T. got behind Derek, put his arms around him, and pulled back and up under his rib cage. It’s called the Heimlich Maneuver and it saved Derek’s life.
Willers had shown the life-saving film about 10 days before the incident, she said. The class “was very interested. I had told them it was coming so they were waiting and they were very attentive.”
Fourth grade teacher Kathryn Willers with J.T. Williams III, 9, (left) and Derek Dixon, 9, in the classroom. Willers had shown the life-saving film on how to help someone choking 10 days before the incident in her class at Frankfurt Elementary School No. 2. J.T., son of Spec. 4 William and Karen Carroll saved Derek’s life by performing the Heimlich maneuver when he saw his friend choking at lunch. Derek is the son of Spec. 5 Anthony and Myrna Dixon. (Bob Crockett/Stars and Stripes)
Fourth grade teacher Kathryn Willers with J.T. Williams III, 9, (left) and Derek Dixon, 9, in the classroom. (Bob Crockett/Stars and Stripes)
Willers said J.T., son of Spec. 4 William and Karen Carroll, is an “excellent student” who pays attention in class. Derek would bet his life on that.