What began as a normal, busy lunch period for students at Padua Franciscan High School in Parma on Sept. 1 suddenly turned into a lifesaving event.
When a student in the cafeteria began choking on a plastic bottle cap, she approached Megan Kulikowski, a cafeteria worker, who was running the register. Kulikowski sprang into action and performed the Heimlich maneuver, saving the student’s life.
The student is OK and her grateful mother shared a message of thanksgiving after the incident.
“We are forever grateful to Mrs. Kulikowski for her quick thinking and quick reaction. She saved my daughter’s life. We are truly blessed to have her and the rest of the cafeteria staff looking out for our kids. I don’t even know what else to say other than thank you and you are a hero,” the mother said.
Kulikowski said she was humbled by the mother’s words, but she doesn’t want the credit.
“I’ve known many of these kids since they were 4 years old,” she said. “I just want to make sure everyone is healthy and happy. We love all of these students so much and we want what’s best for them,” Kulikowski added.
School administrators said they believe Kulikowski deserves the praise.
“Padua is blessed to have a wonderful cafeteria staff who love our students,” said Principal Bob DiRocco. “Four of our cafeteria staff either have children here now or have children or grandchildren who have graduated. They treat each student with the same love and care they show their own children.”
Padua, a college-preparatory, coeducational school, has 760 students. It was founded by the Franciscans in 1961.