The Courier & Advertiser (Perth and Perthshire Edition)
Stranger who saved toddler from choking insists: ‘I’m not a hero’
Modest Kinross man steps forward after appeal by grateful mother
A mystery lifesaver who stopped a toddler from choking has come forward after a desperate bid to find him.
Paul McHardy managed to dislodge a strawberry from little Freya Fernie’s throat during a family day out at Cairnie Fruit Farm in Fife.
He then calmly walked away without giving his name, prompting an appeal from Freya’s grateful mum Jody King, who wanted to thank him properly for his brave actions.
Paul, 40, has now got in touch after reading about the search in The Courier.
However, the Kinross man – who previously saved his own daughter during a similar drama– insisted: “I’m no hero.”
Freya, from Cardenden, was struggling to breathe and starting to turn blue when Paul stepped in to help.
The college lecturer took over from Jody and her mother Ann Rollo, who had both frantically tried to remove the fruit from the 21-month-old’s throat by hitting her on the back.
Paul, who had been at the farm near Cupar with his own family, turned Freya upside-down and administered a few harder whacks before the strawberry flew out.
He said he had been surprised to read The Courier’s article a few days later but realised immediately that he was the “knight in shining armour” referred to.
“Jody and her mum both thanked me at the time but obviously they were upset and were looking after Freya,” he said.
“When I saw the child was all right I thought the best place for her was with her family so I left them to it.”
Paul, who works at Forth Valley College in Falkirk, performed the Heimlich manoeuvre on his daughter Sofia some years ago when she choked on a pea pod just months after he had attended a first aid course.
He said: “I’m not a hero. I’m just glad I could help.”
Jody, 32, has already phoned Paul to thank him properly for his actions and said she was delighted to have tracked him down.
She added: “Whether he thinks so or not, we think he’s a hero – I’m very thankful and wish him and his family all the best.
“He’s also a lovely man on top of being a hero.”