Middle schooler rescues choking friend
By SCOTT POWELL Ledger Staff Writer spowell@gaffneyledger.com

Ledger photo by SCOTT POWELL Jordan Wilson, right, and Aldrich Evans are shown Friday afternoon at Granard Middle School.

Rev. J.W. Evans has taken to calling Jordan Wilson his son's protector.

Jordan saved the life of seventh grader Aldrich Evans while the two friends ate lunch together in the Granard Middle cafeteria on Aug. 30. Aldrich was eating a hot dog and talking with Jordan when he suddenly stopped in mid-sentence.

When Jordan asked his friend if he was choking, Aldrich simply pointed at his throat.

Acting on instinct, Jordan put his hands around Aldrich's stomach and began the Heimlich maneuver. This is a recommended procedure for helping a person who is choking on a foreign object.

"I just put my hands around his stomach and started to do the Heimlich maneuver. The hot dog just came up," Jordan said. "When I was little, I was choking on a corn chip and my brother did that to me. I just picked it up."

The choking incident was particularly scary since Evans and his wife, Claudia, have already lost one child. In 1993, their 5-year-old son Eric died when he was hit by a car while riding his bicycle in the neighborhood.

Jordan and Aldrich have been good friends since the fifth grade. The two play basketball and hangout regularly after school.

Jordan lives a quarter block away from Aldrich's home beside Dunton United Methodist Church.

"Jordan didn't come home and say 'mom, guess what I did. He said 'mom, guess what happened to Al,'" said Michele Wilson, Jordan's mother. "I'm just thankful Jordan stayed calm like that and knew what to do. It just shows how important it is to teach all our children how to do the Heimlich maneuver."

While Jordan and Aldrich often play together, Evans became a little worried when his son did not get off the school bus on the afternoon of Aug. 30. He just didn't know the reason until later that evening.

Evans has already taken steps to reward Jordan for his heroic actions.

The pastor has already signed Jordan up to join the Boy Scouts Troop 86. His next step is making sure the right equipment is in place for afterschool basketball games.

"Jordan and Aldrich like to play basketball together. They couldn't play last week because the ball had a hole in it," Evans said. "I plan on buying a new basketball for Jordan. I was going to buy him a basketball goal as well, but Jordan said he already has one. I am just thankful Jordan acted so quickly and decisively to save my son's life."

As Jordan headed back to class after the interview, Aldrich lingered behind for a moment. He wanted to know if he could go home from school early Friday since his mother had taken him home at noon on the day he nearly choked on the hot dog.

Evans glanced at his son a little puzzled. "What time is it?" the father asked.

The clock read 10:53 a.m. Evans shook his head at Aldrich as if to say, "Nice try, son."