Alton Telegraph
Sunday, April 13, 2008

Three Southwestern Illinois residents were honored with Lifesaver Awards from the American Red Cross St. Louis Area Chapter.

During a ceremony Wednesday in Creve Coeur, MO, the Red Cross recognized nine people for preparing themselves through training and then reaching out to save a life.

The three Illinois residents who received the Lifesaver Award were Benjamin Mathenia of Granite City, Marlene Vosholler of Highland and Roxanne Weller of Jerseyville.

Benjamin Mathenia, a first-grader at Frohardt Elementary School in Granite City, saw his classmate gasping for air and immediately went to help. A small toy had become lodged in Drake Wilson's throat, obstructing his airway. Ben pulled Drake out of his chair, faced him forward and performed abdominal thrusts. In less than one minute, Ben had dislodged the toy from Drake's throat. Drake went to the nurse for a checkup and was back in class the same day.

Jeannie Radford, a bus driver for First Student, was sitting inside her parked bus when she began choking on a piece of candy. Radford felt she could black out at any moment. She knew she had to get help fast and hurried to the bus driver parked behind her, Marlene Vosholler. Vosholler was alarmed at Radford's expression and asked her whether she could talk. When Radford was unable to say a word, Vosholler knew she was choking and performed two abdominal thrusts to dislodge the piece of candy. Radford recovered quickly and fully.

Roxanne Weller saved the life of a classmate at Illini Middle School. A group of eighth-grade students was talking and laughing at lunch, when one of Roxanne's classmates began to choke. A piece of food had lodged in her throat, blocking her airway and causing her face to turn blue. Roxanne performed abdominal thrusts until the food dislodged. School officials contacted the student's parents. Because she was able to breathe on her own, she returned to class.

The Lifesaver Award program, sponsored by AAA, is designed to inspire people to get trained in first aid and cardiopulmonary resuscitation by recognizing citizens who prepared themselves to respond in an emergency situation.