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Teacher's Aide Rescues Choking Child In Cliffside Park

Young Kayla Lopez was having lunch at Cliffside Park’s No. 3 school when a piece of meat suddenly got stuck.

Kayla Lopez with Nastasha Madrid (right), John Lopez, and Jessica Foster (center) at Cliffside Park School #3.

Kayla Lopez with Nastasha Madrid (right), John Lopez, and Jessica Foster (center) at Cliffside Park School #3.

Photo Credit: Natasha Madrid

The choking 7-year-old was in distress and terribly frightened.

Seeing what was happening, teacher’s aide Jessica Foster rushed over and dislodged the food with the Heimlich maneuver, said Kayla’s mom, Natasha Madrid.

That wasn’t all, however.

Foster held tight to Kayla, who was still “in shock and trembling” when Madrid’s husband arrived at the Palisade Avenue school to pick her up, her mom said.

“She hugged Kayla, making her feel safe until one of us could get there,” Madrid said.

It was too soon to tell whether the school or district is planning some type of recognition for Foster.

Madrid, for one, says they should.

“I am forever grateful to know that she acted so quickly with no hesitation until my daughter was out of danger,” she said.

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