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Girl in China saves woman choking on bubble tea using Heimlich manoeuvre

An 11-year-old girl in China’s Liaoning province has earned praise online after she calmly performed the Heimlich manoeuvre to save a woman who began choking while drinking bubble tea at a restaurant.

Restaurant CCTV footage shows the woman, Ms Wu, suddenly rising from her seat, clutching her chest and coughing as she signalled frantically for help.

Source: Douyin

She had been eating hotpot when she took a sip of milk tea, choked, and realised she could no longer breathe.

Staff and her dining companions rushed to pat her back, but their efforts proved ineffective.

Source: Douyin

Ms Wu later noted that it might have been a tapioca pearl or another small topping in the drink that became lodged in her throat.

Girl steps in to perform first aid, successfully helps woman breathe again

At that critical moment, Hu Zihan, a primary school student seated at a neighbouring table, stepped forward and told staff she had first aid training.

“My Red Cross instructor told us that the first four minutes are the golden time for rescue. I didn’t want to waste any more time,” Ms Hu later explained in an interview.

Source: CCTV News

She wrapped her arms around Ms Wu from behind and performed the Heimlich manoeuvre, pressing forcefully inwards and upwards above the navel to dislodge the obstruction.

Source: Douyin

After five or six thrusts, Ms Wu was able to breathe again.

Source: Douyin

Hu continued for about half a minute until her breathing stabilised, and Ms Wu embraced the girl tightly following the ordeal.

“I was truly grateful to this little girl. She was so brave to step forward and help me,” Ms Wu said.

Ms Hu’s mother was present throughout and witnessed her daughter’s actions.

“I couldn’t help but praise her in that moment. I told her: ‘You’re amazing!'” she said.

First time using life-saving skills

This was the first time Ms Hu had applied her first aid training in real life.

Now in her final year of primary school, she is a volunteer with the youth ambassador team at the Liaoning Red Cross emergency rescue training base, which was established in June this year.

Members of the team undergo systematic training and must pass assessments on subjects including airway obstruction relief, cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR), automated external defibrillator (AED) use, and voluntary blood donation.

Source: CCTV News

Ms Hu had learnt the Heimlich manoeuvre for choking just a week earlier, on 1 Aug.

The incident has since gone viral, with many netizens praising the girl’s composure, bravery, and textbook application of life-saving skills at such a young age.

Also read: 11-year-old boys in Thailand rescue girl who fell into river, earn praise for bravery

11-year-old boys in Thailand rescue girl who fell into river, earn praise for bravery

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