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10/11/2006: SAHS student saves woman's life

Souderton Area High School student Angelo Tornetta, 17, saved the life of Beatrice Guido, 79, by knowing and performing the Heimlich maneuver.

Tornetta works part time at Arbour Square, a new retirement community near Wal-Mart, in the food service department. He saw Mrs. Guido choking, confirmed that she needed help, and performed the maneuver. Nothing happened with the first thrust, but the second one literally saved her life.

The Heimlich maneuver is an emergency technique for preventing suffocation when a victim's airway (windpipe) becomes blocked by a piece of food or other foreign object.

Tornetta is a part time student at North Montco Technical Career Center and credits having learned the maneuver from his Health & PE teacher, Mr. Moyer, two years ago.

"Angelo is my hero," said Mrs. Guido. "He was right there and knew exactly what to do."

Six years ago Mrs. Guido performed the maneuver on herself while choking. "My grown children didn't know what to do," she explained. "I leaned on the side of the sink and helped myself," she said.

This recent episode left her a little shaken but thankful Angelo recognized the international signal for choking, putting both hands at the base of the neck, and helped right away.

"From now on," she joked, "I'm pureeing my meat."