Culture
11-Year-Old Girl Goes Viral Saving a Woman Choking on Boba Tapioca Pearls
11-year-old Hu Zihan from China has gone viral after saving a choking woman at a hotpot restaurant on August 8.
The woman struggled to breathe after swallowing tapioca pearls, and while others panicked, the young girl intervened with a steady composure that has impressed millions in the world.
The woman had taken a drink to ease the spiciness of her meal when the pearls blocked her airway.
She tried to signal for the Heimlich manoeuvre, but no one understood. Staff attempted back pats, yet nothing worked as precious seconds passed and her breathing grew more desperate.
Sitting at the next table was Hu Zihan, an 11-year-old who immediately recognized the danger.
Acting quickly, Hu rushed over, wrapped her arms around the woman, and performed the Heimlich manoeuvre. After 30 seconds, she finally expelled three tapioca pearls.
Hu, a young volunteer with the ‘Liaoning Red Cross Society,’ had learned the life-saving technique only a week earlier on August 1.
Her quick action and calm bravery have since captured millions of hearts across China and beyond.