Madison teen earns “Star of Life” award for saving choking friend
MADISON – Fire Chief Brandy Williams gave an appropriate summary of actions by Nathan Santo: “Nathan performed without hesitation and that is admirable for a 15-year-old. Acts like these are the makings of future first responders and admirable citizens.”
Exhibiting almost automatic response, young teenager Santo reacted with quick lifesaving behavior to respond to a friend’s scenario during what was otherwise a usual day at school.
Chief Williams with Madison Fire and Rescue Department explained the lifesaving actions of Santo while presenting the Star of Life award to him at the Madison City Council meeting on April 13.
A person can receive the Star of Life Award for successfully saving a life while other individuals are involved with an ongoing medical intervention. A ‘successful life save’ is defined as someone who survives a life-threatening event and is discharged from the hospital, Williams said.
In addition, the Star of Life award recognizes a citizen who used their training and made a difference in the outcome of someone’s life.
Santo earned the award for saving his friend and classmate from choking. Nathan is a student at St. John the Baptist Catholic School in Madison.
Santo’s experience occurred on March 7 during rehearsal for the “Beauty and the Beast” musical production by St. John students. Nathan and his friend were cast in lead roles in the musical.
“They were backstage having snacks during intermission when Nathan’s friend fell to his knees and started choking. Nathan immediately realized what was going on and began performing the Heimlich Maneuver on him,” Williams said. (The Heimlich Maneuver is an emergency procedure to apply upward pressure on the upper abdomen to cause the choking person to expel the blockage.)
“Nathan’s friend coughed up the object. Nathan saved his friend from choking. Afterward, Nathan’s friend was fine and did not need any further treatment or intervention,” Williams said. “Both boys resumed their roles on stage after intermission and finished the play.”
In accepting the Star of Life Award, Nathan said he learned about first aid and CPR while working on his First Aid Merit Badge with Scouting America. “Nathan’s quick thinking and training made a difference in his friend’s life,” Williams said.
“During my discussion with Nathan, he stated that he just reacted and didn’t even realize what had happened until it was over. He is also passionate about stressing the importance of CPR training,” Williams said. “You hope that you are never in a situation to have to use this training, but it is better to know how to assist than to feel helpless.”
In accepting the Star of Life Award, Nathan wanted to stress that “I sat through so many firstaid classes through Boy Scouts. I never thought that I would use any of these skills, but everyone should learn them.”
“These things happen so quickly,” Nathan said. “It happened out of nowhere. I didn’t expect to perform the Heimlich Maneuver that night or need to at all. I’m happy that everything went OK, and my friend is fine.”
