Hoxsie School has a hero. It’s a title Principal Gary McCoombs has bestowed on school building aide Brandon Burch following his lifesaving administration of the Heimlich manoeuver on third grader McKenzie Puccio. A 2020 Pilgrim graduate who is now taking CCRI business courses online, Burch was in the school yard Thursday taking T-shirt orders. The shirts will be given out on the school field day at the end of the year. Taking a break from the routine, Burch headed back into the school where he found a group of kids gathered around McKenzie. He asked what was happening and the students informed him that she was choking. Burch asked McKenzie and she nodded. He didn’t waste time positioning himself behind her and placing his arms across her chest and compressing her quickly. After the third or fourth compression, out came a sausage and McKenzie began coughing. On Friday McKenzie still had a bit of a sore throat and vowed to chew her food. Burch said he had learned the maneuver as part of a first aid class at Pilgrim and McCoombs, who viewed the incident on video, was preparing to nominate Burch for departmental recognition. When and if that happens, Burch doesn’t expect to be working for the department. He and other building aides hired during the pandemic were notified their positions are no longer budgeted. (Warwick Beacon photo)