The heroic act happened around 9:45am on November 7. A truancy officer assigned to Ball High ran into the police office and called for any officer to respond to a classroom where a student was choking.
Ofc. Victor Cervantes rushed to the classroom where he found Logan Trotti, a senior, holding the center of his chest with one hand and grabbing his neck with the other, desperately gasping for air.
Cervantes noticed Lotti turning a pale blue color, and the student was unable to speak.
The officer immediately grabbed the student out of his seat and placed him in the position to perform the Heimlich maneuver. After several upward thrusts to the student's mid-chest, the blockage was dislodged. Trotti began coughing and was able to breathe.
It was later discovered that the blockage was a piece of hard candy.
GISD Police Chief LeeRoy Amador later learned from emergency responders that Cervantes' quick response and actions had saved the student's life.
At the November 14 school board meeting, Superintendent Larry Nichols, Principal Joseph Pillar, Command Staff Captain Renard Brown, Sergeant Ricky Hutcherson and Donna Meade -- Trotti's mother -- joined Chief Amador, who presented Officer Cervantes with an award for his exceptional and professional effort in the preservation of life.
"Thank you for saving my life," Trotti told Cervantes after the presentation.
