HERNANDO COUNTY, Fla. — A seventh-grader at West Hernando Middle School is thankful to be alive after the school's deputy saved him from choking.
- Andrew Seifert was eating nachos when he began choking
- Students, friends jumped into action, got deputy's attention
- Deputy Shane Landgraff assigned to school for past 13 years
- More Hernando County stories
Andrew Seifert was eating lunch on Tuesday when he suddenly started choking on nachos.
That’s when he said his friends jumped into action.
“My friend, he was trying to help me, but he didn’t have enough strength to help me out,” Andrew said.
His friends then got the attention of Deputy Shane Landgraff. Landgraff gave Andrew three back blows to save him.
“I just tried to keep him calm, take some slow, deep breaths, and he did,” Landgraff said. “I was glad that he was going to be OK, and it didn’t turn out to be anything worse."
For Andrew’s family, it was a huge sigh of relief.
“As a father, I’m extremely grateful,” said Darin Seifert, Andrew’s father.
“That’s not something you want to hear when you’re at work that your son was choking," he added. "But after I heard the situation and heard everybody that got involved, I was OK — I had peace of mind.”
Andrew said he was thankful Landgraff was there and that his friends got help fast.
“I am very thankful that they noticed that, and I’m happy that they helped me out with that, because if they didn’t, then I most likely would and could have died,” Andrew said.
Landgraff has been the school resource deputy at West Hernando Middle School for 13 years.