Good Sort: Jesiah Oli-Alainu'uese

Reporter Community News

When he saw his teacher struggling to breathe, 10-year-old Jesiah Oli-Alainu'uese knew exactly what to do.
His actions at lunchtime last Thursday likely saved the life of his teacher, Leah Smythe.
Jesiah is a pupil at Raureka School in Hastings and was just about to leave his classroom to join his friends for lunch when he saw Smythe start to cough.
“She patted me on the shoulder. I could see that she was choking, so I whacked her on the back three or four times. Really hard,” he said.
That did the trick and the piece of food lodged in Smythe's throat was dislodged, allowing her to breathe again.
Jesiah said he knew what to do because he had seen someone at another school do it to a student who was choking.
“I hit her pretty hard. I got my strength from boxing training. When she called my mum she said her back was still sore,” Jesiah said.
Jesiah's feat was recognised at a school assembly on Friday, at which he was presented a gift by a St John Ambulance paramedic.
Principal Greg Riceman said he was very proud of Jesiah.
“It was really fantastic, what he did,” Riceman said.
Would you know what to do if you found someone choking?
- Reporting by Marty Sharpe