An 11-year-old saved a choking student at his school this month, then sprung into action a second time that day when he escorted an elderly woman from a burning home, according to Oklahoma officials.
For most people, let alone a child, the selflessness displayed by Davyon Johnson on Dec. 9 amounts to more than a lifetime of heroics.
But Davyon’s mother, Latoya Johnson, 38, said Thursday that her boy has always demonstrated maturity beyond his years. He merely showed, she said, his true self.
“He’s always been there to help, whenever he can,” Johnson told NBC News. “He’s just still the same kid. It’s not like it’s made him any more, or any less.”
Muskogee Public Schools, in a Dec. 15 statement, detailed Davyon’s unbelievable actions and also said community officials recognized him with several awards.
“The Muskogee Public Schools Board of Education recognized sixth-grader Davyon Johnson during the board meeting Tuesday night,” the statement said. “Davyon performed the Heimlich maneuver on a classmate on December 9 and that evening helped a woman from her house that was on fire. Muskogee Police Department and Muskogee County Sheriff’s Office presented Johnson with a certificate denoting him as an honor member of their force.”
Johnson said her son was initially too modest for all the accolades.
“He didn’t really want recognition. But like I told him, he did something extraordinary,” she said.
The police department presented Davyon with an honorary certificate, the sheriff’s department deemed him an honorary deputy and the school board presented him with a heroism award, Johnson said.
Davyon told her he learned the Heimlich on YouTube, she said.
His memorable day began at school, Johnson said, where a boy ran into Davyon’s classroom because he was choking.
“The little boy was trying to open a bottle of water with his teeth, and the top got lodged in his throat. He was trying to find help,” Johnson said.
The scary scene unfolded in front of students who crowded around the child, Johnson said. “My son pushed everyone out the way and went and did the Heimlich maneuver.”
Davyon’s second act of heroism occurred only hours later and transpired blocks from their home, Johnson said. It was the late afternoon and beginning to get dark, when Johnson was driving her son home from wrestling practice and the two smelled smoke.
At first they thought nothing of it, Johnson said, but then they noticed a home was on fire.
Johnson parked in front of the home, honked her horn multiple times, and called 911 because there was smoke emanating from the back of the house, she said.
Davyon reached the front door and frantically knocked. Multiple people rushed out of the home, Johnson said. She thought the ordeal was over.
But as Davyon was moving toward her, Johnson said, an elderly woman stepped out of the front door with the aid of a walker.
The home was now visibly on fire, and Davyon escorted the woman to safety, Johnson said.
She said she never feared for her son’s life, even though he put himself in harm’s way.
“I believe God is going to protect him, whatever he does in life.”
Davyon wasn’t immediately available for comment on Thursday because he was at wrestling practice.
His mother said she’s so proud of him.
His courage and desire to help will benefit him in his future endeavors, Johnson said. Davyon is considering a career as an emergency medical technician or doctor, she said.
What Davyon did earlier this month has been an emotional boost before the holidays, because his father died from complications of Covid-19 in August, Johnson said.
Davyon told his mom his father’s spirit was with him on Dec. 9, she said.
“That’s something that my dad instilled in me,” he told her.
Source: | This article originally belongs to Nbcnews.com
