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SAVANNAH, Ga. (WSAV) — Sensitivity to a certain type of food almost killed a Coastal Empire teacher.
No two days are the same at Hinesville Snelson-Golden Middle School.
Student services specialist Krystal Alexis witnessed a different and frightening day on April 1 when a teacher needed emergency assistance.
“I ran down the hallway to Ms. Parker’s room. She was actually going into anaphylactic shock,” Alexis said.
Seventh-grade life science teacher Lauren Parker’s life was unraveling as her students were eating lunch inside her classroom.
“One student was eating a peanut butter and jelly sandwich,” Parker said. “I am severely allergic to peanut butter and peanut products. He was a new student, so he really didn’t know. He wasn’t accustomed to what the other students are accustomed to and knowing my allergies. I sat there for a couple minutes, and I just started to feel my throat close. And my first instinct was why is my throat closing, and why can’t I breathe?”
Seeing her co-worker and friend suffering, Krystal who was promoted to backup school nurse two months sooner sprang into action.
“I realized like ok, she literally can’t breathe,” Alexis said. “I ran up here, got the wheelchair, ran back down, wheeled her back up here.”
Alexis put her epi-pen training to the test until emergency responders arrived.
“Not knowing, why is my throat closing, what was going through your mind? Honestly, I thought I was gonna die. It was so bad. I couldn’t catch my breath, I was wheezing. I thought that was it for me.”
“We were able to kind of get her heart rate and her breathing normal before EMS came.”
Everyone is proud of Alexis.
She received special recognition at the Liberty County School board meeting for handling a life and death situation.
“How do you feel about yourself paying it forward and saving your co-workers life?
That’s something that I’m very proud of, especially because Ms. Parker was the teacher I was the Para for when I first started working here.”
“I believe that the same energy you exude on people they will exude onto you. Pay It Forward, be kind, be there for people in need, and it will truly come back to you when you need someone.
We are truly bonded for life after this. She’s my lifesaver.”
ms. parker was back teaching 3 days after the incident.
she normally keeps her epipen in her purse, but told me on april first she switched purses leaving the epipen at home.
perhaps krystal was extra prepared to take quick action because all employees at snelson golden are required to have epi pen training.
