Former rugby union star Nick Cummins, also known as the “Honey Badger”, has been called a hero after saving a 3-year-old girl from choking on a lolly.
The footy legend and father of three jumped into action when he spotted a terrified family desperately trying to save their young daughter, Maddy, from choking on a piece of candy.
“I was pushing the kids on the swing when I looked over and saw some sort of commotion going on,” Honey Badger told Today.
“So I just turned up, Johnny-on-the-spot, mate, and did what anyone would have done.”
While managing party preparations and the children, Maddy’s mum, Bronwyn didn’t pay much attention when her daughter requested a lolly.
“She just inhaled it and she started making these choking noises and I tried to kind of smack it out myself, but when I realised that wasn’t working, the panic set in,” Bronwyn told Today.
Bronwyn then ran to a nearby group of parents to ask for help, when Cummins came to the rescue.
“Nick came over and just gave her a few good whacks on the back, but I didn’t realise that it was seriously lodged,” Bronwyn said.
“So he held her upside down and gave her a good smack between the shoulder blades and (the lolly) came popping out.”
The footy star admitted that the smacks were quite firm, and that his own son even asked why he was “smacking” the girl.
“You just launch into it, when I saw that terror in (Maddy’s mum’s) eyeballs and knowing it’s a time-sensitive situation, the gravity sort of does sink in,” he said.
“And I was thinking I have a responsibility, so that’s not happening today if I can help it.”
He also reminded Aussie parents to learn basic first aid training, so they know what to do if they ever find themselves in a similar situation.
Images: Today Show
