Boy honored by Enos-Cardinal Cove Volunteer Fire Department after 9-1-1 call saves mom’s life

ENOS, Oklahoma (KXII) - A nine-year-old Enos boy made the 9-1-1 call that saved his mother’s life as she was choking to death last Tuesday.

This Tuesday, Enos-Cardinal Cove volunteer firefighters who answered that call held a ceremony and named Gavin Keeney an honorary volunteer firefighter and gave him his own plaque.

They said his calm demeanor and ability to follow instructions helped them before they arrived and helped save his mother’s life.

“I popped a chip in my mouth without thinking and I started choking,” said Lori Keeney, Gavin’s mother who had cervical spinal fusion surgery on her neck back in February, leaving her unable to swallow whole foods. “I could hear him saying ‘mommy I love you, mommy I love you’.”

Keeney was trying everything he could to save his mother as she struggled for air choking on a ‘Cheetos’ on the kitchen floor.

“He wrapped his arms around me and tried the Heimlich maneuver and I heard him whisper in my ear ‘mommy I’m not strong enough’ and that’s when he called 9-1-1,” Keeney said.

Exactly when his mother’s doctors taught him to do whenever his mother showed signs of choking or struggling as a result of the surgery.

“When I was in the hospital one of the other directions was to grab some pudding,” Keeney said.

Gavin tried to use pudding to dislodge the Cheeto before firefighters arrived just two minutes later.

When they arrived on scene, Enos-Cardinal Cove Volunteer Fire Chief Joshua Gillette gave Keeney the Heimlich maneuver and dislodged the chip, saving her life.

“That kid’s going to end up going far in life, he’s able to keep himself contained, composure,” Gillette said of Keeney’s effort to save his mother’s life.

“A lot of people are really proud of you buddy, thank you,” Lori Keeney said to her son.

“You’re welcome,” he replied.

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