The Heroes At Hand

To the Editor:

A week ago today, my wife, Nathalie, nearly died. She was on her way out from work at the Newtown High School when she started choking. At first, it seemed as if the small piece of food she had swallowed would clear itself out, but it didn’t.  As she tried to cough it up, it got lodged more firmly and the lack of breath turned from an annoyance to a serious problem.

She rushed back into the school and was fortunate to find Jules Triber, the assistant principal. Jules, having learned the Heimlich maneuver, immediately went into action. His efforts did not seem to have any effect, however, and the choking became critical. Nathalie lost consciousness, and turned blue as the oxygen was completely cut off. The EMTs arrived on the scene, but there was little more they could do.  The blockage was too deep.  Jules never gave up.  He kept at it, pressing, pushing, hoping. And, at last, seemingly at the very moment when death was upon her, the blockage was cleared, oxygen poured back in, and she was saved.

We often try to look for heroes in far away places or far away times, and don’t think of our neighbors or co-workers as heroes.  What makes a normal person a hero is the ability to push, press, and hope when everyone else has given up. Last week Jules became our hero and he will have our lasting gratitude.

Francois, Alexandre, Mathieu and Laetitia de Brantes

13 Sugar Street, Newtown                                             May 5, 2003