When watching 7-year-old Preston sketch his favorite video game and comic characters, it’s not lost on Giavona Bell how precious seemingly normal activities like these are after a school bus ride last month nearly became his last.
“It was divine timing,” said Bell.
On the morning of Sept. 29, surveillance video from a Dallas ISD school bus shows the moment that Preston swallows a quarter and begins to choke.
The first grader is seen slumping to the floor before he eventually gets up and stumbles his way forward.
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"I walked up to the bus driver holding my neck because I couldn't breathe. I couldn't talk,” he said. "I was trying to tell her that I was choking on a quarter and it hurts very bad."
After appearing initially startled, bus driver Raquel Radford Baker takes just moments to jump into action, swiftly guiding Preston off of the bus that was stopped outside of Seagoville North Elementary. She asked a nearby parent to call 911 while she began performing the Heimlich maneuver and seconds later, the coin was dislodged.
"She was there to save him that day,” said Bell.
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It turns out that Radford Baker, a 17-year employee of Dallas ISD’s Transportation Services, was just filling in on Preston’s route that day, putting her in the right place at exactly the right time.
"She told me yesterday, she said, ‘All I wanted to do was save your child's life. That's the only thing that was running through my mind was that I have to save him. I have to help him,’” said Bell.
Bell, along with her parents, have since had the chance to meet Radford Baker in person, thanking her for heroic efforts the family will never forget.
"She's a part of our family. She's a part of us,” she said.
Radford Baker told NBC-5 she credits CPR and first aid training she received through Dallas ISD for helping her save Preston.
"“I’m still in shock, I can’t believe this actually happened," Radford-Baker said. "I’m just grateful that I was able save him.”
She said she’d love to see it become part of the professional development bus drivers receive during the year.
Bell said she’s now planning to get CPR trained and hopes sharing their story will encourage others to do the same.
