Life-saving teenager

Redwood Falls girl, 14, revives choking man

BY SCOTT THOMA

Cheyenne Parker, 14, used skills she learned in babysitting training to revive an 80-year-old man who was choking. Photo by Scott Thoma

Little did Cheyenne Parker realize that the American Heart Association CPR training that she took for her babysitting jobs two weeks earlier would be used to save a man’s life.

Cheyenne, 14, an eighth-grader at Redwood Valley Public School in Redwood Falls, was working as an FFA member at a Cattleman’s Club supper at the Springfield Community Center on Saturday, March 29.

Cheyenne, known as a hard worker, was supposed to volunteer to help at the event for two hours, but once she got there and saw they needed more help, offered to work an additional eight hours. If she had not worked those extra hours, the night could have turned into a tragedy for one man and his family.

“I was peeling potatoes and filling water and coffee at the drink table around 6:30 p.m. that night,” she said. “I heard people say there was a man choking and then saw a large group of people gathered together. So, I grabbed my phone and called 911.”

Cheyenne then had the presence of mind to run into the nearby kitchen to grab a new pair of gloves and then hurried over to where the people had gathered in a circle around a man lying on the floor.”

Diane Hauth, a registered  nurse was also at the scene when the  man was choking.  Contributed photo

On the floor next to the man was Diane Hauth, a registered nurse for 30 years who currently works at an assisted living facility in Springfield.

“I was out in the hall and my daughter came out to tell me I was needed because a man had collapsed,” Hauth said. “I was checking the man over to see if he had a heart attack or was choking or something else when (Cheyenne) came over and volunteered to do compressions on the man.”

Hauth held the man’s head and monitored his vital signs while Cheyenne began a series of compressions.

“I saw the man turn blue first and then he began to turn white, so I knew we didn’t have much time,” Hauth said.

The man started gasping and then regurgitated. Hauth cleared his airway and checked his pulse, which was around 60, and soon he was gulping for air. Once he started to breath, Leon was more responsive.

“There were some other people helping, too, so it was a team effort,” Hauth said. “I was really impressed with Cheyenne. I had no idea she was only 14 years old. That’s remarkable. She seemed calm and did just what she needed to. She deserves a lot of credit.”

Leon Hoffmann of rural Sleepy Eye was the man whose life was saved. The 80-year-old U.S. Army veteran started choking on a piece of steak and couldn’t breathe.

“I gave him the Heimlich,” said Susan Hoffmann, his wife who was also attending the supper. A couple of other people tried, too. Then he just collapsed on the floor. When they started CPR on him, I couldn’t watch and walked away.”

By the time EMTs and a police officer arrived on the scene, Leon was sitting up and breathing. He got up and seated himself on the gurney.

Leon Hoffman, 80, of rural Sleepy Eye, Minn. was choking on a piece of steak and couldn’t breathe. He became unresponsive. Leon was revived thanks to help from 

a few quick-thinking people. One of those people was Cheyenne Parker. Contributed photo

“Everyone started clapping when they knew the man was okay,” Cheyenne said.

Leon was then taken to the emergency room at the hospital in Sleepy Eye Medical Center.

“He had a little seizure while he was at the hospital, so they kept him overnight,” his wife said. “He is home now, though. His ribs were very sore (from the compressions) for a few days but he is getting better every day.”

Following the news that her husband would by okay, Susan was given the phone number of Cheyenne’s mother.

“I didn’t really know who the person was that was giving Leon CPR,” Susan said. “When I found out (Cheyenne) was only 14 years old, I couldn’t believe it. We are grateful for her help and for the help of everyone else.”

The Hoffmanns are looking forward to meeting Cheyenne and her mother sometime in the future when Leon feels up to it.

Cheyenne, the oldest of Nicholas Parker and Stephanie Wandersee’s three children, admitted she didn’t feel too nervous during the time she spent helping to save the man’s life.

“At the time, I didn’t really think about anything except what I had been trained to do,” she said. “When it was all over and they took the man to the hospital, I went back in the kitchen and scooched down and almost cried. I was shaking. It was then that I finally took everything in and realized what had just happened.”

Cheyenne in band practice, playing the French horn, at Redwood Valley School.  Contributed photo

Cheyenne’s mother, Stephanie, was not at the event, but received a text from her daughter about what had happened.

“I didn’t really know exactly what she had just done,” Stephanie said. “She texted and said she had saved a man’s life, but I didn’t get any other details. When I found out later, I was so proud of her. She is remarkable. It just proves that kids can make a difference.”

Cheyenne is back at school like any normal student, babysitting, playing French horn in the band, and doing homework.

When asked if she considers herself a hero, Cheyenne modestly responded, “I just did what I needed to do.”