Hero in the Cafeteria: Holy Trinity Teacher Saves a Student's Life

May 28, 2025

by Jake Shama

Lunch duty may not be the most glamorous part of a teacher’s job, but on one ordinary Wednesday, Liz Brott experienced firsthand how important that role truly is.

As she prepared to release students for recess after lunch on April 9, Brott noticed something wasn’t right with 6th grader Abram Witt. Though his friends weren’t reacting, Brott noticed his red face and bent posture – classic signs of choking.

“I said his name and he didn’t really respond,” Brott said.

At that point, she knew she might need to perform the Heimlich maneuver.

Brott – who teaches STEM and religion – learned the maneuver shortly after college, during coaching training. Since starting at Holy Trinity, she and other staff have regularly recertified on first aid training. It’s a skill teachers hope never to use, but they’re glad to have it when students like Abram need help.

That day, as Abram prepared to dump his tray, he took one last bite of celery. After that bite, time slowed down.

“Probably in reality, it took less than a minute, but it’s one of those where time gets warped,” Brott said. “I knew I needed to check things before I just went in and executed the Heimlich … especially with middle schoolers, the social dynamics are so important, so if you can avoid situations like that, great. If they’re needed, you’ve got to act.”

Brott had Abram stand up straight and said his name again. She asked if he could say something, cough, do anything. He couldn’t, so she told him she was about to perform the Heimlich.

“I prayed to God, and thankfully, it came out the first time,” Brott said.

Suddenly, the crisis was over. She made sure Abram was OK emotionally, made sure he got a drink of water, and Abram went off to recess with his friends.

But a darker alternative lingered, especially for Abram's mother, Jennifer Witt, a registered nurse who was overcome with gratitude upon learning of the incident. The thought of what could have happened was particularly poignant for their family, who lost Abram's father to lymphoma five years prior.

Abram has been a long-time student at Holy Trinity. Over the years, Witt had already come to see Brott heroically as a teacher, coach, and advocate, calling her a “pillar of excellence” who helps students and peers believe that better is possible. That Wednesday, Witt’s opinion soared even higher.

“For us, she reached mythic proportions in her heroism,” Witt said. “I cannot even fathom losing my son – my heart, my joy, my hope. Because of her training, quick thinking and care, she saved Abram’s life.”

Though she believes Brott wouldn’t want the attention, Witt felt called to honor a teacher who has long been a guardian angel for her son and others and who exemplifies what makes Holy Trinity such a special place.

Witt said the Holy Trinity community provided the love and support they needed after her husband’s passing. People like Brott – who performs her work with “integrity, excellence, passion, patience, mercy, justice and kindness” – have made the school a sacred space for her son to grow and flourish.

"In our current environment where there is so much negativity, division, and disdain for the other, this is a moment to behold and honor the sacred in," Witt said. “I know as a mom, a widow, and an oncology nurse – in this life it is all gift and all fragile, so when things like this happen, we must honor it and share it.”

Brott's ability to respond effectively is a testament to the preparedness emphasized within Diocese of Des Moines Catholic schools. School staff regularly review first aid techniques, including CPR and using AEDs.  

"You’re most likely, as the teacher, the first one to see something, the first one to call an action," Brott said.

This wasn't the first close call she's witnessed, though choking is more common in younger students. These experiences have led her to proactively teach her students to recognize the universal sign for choking and understand the seriousness of such situations.  

Witt asked to share this story as an example of bravery and leadership but also to advocate for training in basic first-aid skills and availability of life-saving devices like AEDs in all schools and parishes.

This incident serves as a powerful reminder of the importance of being prepared and the impact of trained individuals within school and parish communities. You never know who may be called on to save a life.