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Custodian Hero
Custodian saves choking kindergartener
Sanchez poses with the elementary student he saved
For 19 years, Jack Sanchez of Banning Chapter 147 has kept a watchful eye on his students. As a veteran custodian for an elementary school in the Inland Empire, Sanchez has always remained humble working without a need for recognition, let alone considered himself a hero.
But that all changed on September 19, 2022 when he noticed a kindergartener hunched over a cafeteria disposal bin during a typical Monday school lunch.
"Joshua was (standing) over the trash can, I thought he was throwing up,” Sanchez said in an interview with local news channel KESQ. “Then I look closer, and he was gasping for air.”
Spurred by quick thinking and knowledge of the Heimlich maneuver, Sanchez rushed to the student and successfully dislodged a grape from the young choking student – saving his life in the process.
“I got him from the trash can, got on my knees and just started pumping his stomach up,” said Sanchez. “A big ole grape came out and I said ‘Thank you Jesus’.”
Sanchez’s quick thinking shines a light on CSEA members working in custodial services. More times than not, custodians are some of our most dependable staff on campus, going well beyond the job description to meet daily challenges.
Aside from the traditional day-to-day duties, custodians are also among the first to respond to a crisis, most notably throughout the return of in-person learning where entire schools depended on their crucial custodial contributions to maintain safe and clean learning environments.
Though many custodians are often uncelebrated and unrecognized for their dedication to their students, Sanchez’s sharp wit and heroics would soon become the talk of the school – and eventually of the town.
“Jack always goes above and beyond at Central Elementary School. I know because I worked there alongside of him before I retired.”
- Linda Sanchez, Jack's wife and retiree from San Jacinto Retiree Council 5024
"We made sure we did make a big deal out of it and help him understand that's something wonderful, for you to be that observant during the biggest lunch we have, which is 12 classes," Principal Cole-Fijabi of Central Elementary said in an October 4 news interview with ABC 7. Cole-Fijabi presented Sanchez with a certificate to honor his heroism.
"He acted quickly because he knew that student needed help."
Later that month, Central Elementary School posted an image of Sanchez on social media with the young student he saved, prompting the community to show their appreciation for their beloved elementary school custodian and help make the photo go viral.
“Jack always goes above and beyond at Central Elementary School. I know because I worked there alongside of him before I retired,” said Linda Sanchez, Jack’s wife and a retiree from San Jacinto Retiree Council 5024. “I’m so proud of him that he took the initiative and did what he needed to do. He wanted no accolades.”
Though Sanchez is as humble as they come, the accolades came pouring in once the word got out and his community made sure to honor him.
Jack Sanchez was honored with a certificate from the Banning City Council on Oct. 11, 2022
"It still hasn't registered in my head yet,” said Sanchez, "that I saved somebody’s life.”
- Jack Sanchez, Banning Chapter 147
Not long after the viral photo was picked up by local news stations, the Banning City Council learned of Sanchez’s heroics and honored him during a city council meeting with a Certificate of Recognition.
“Students past and present refer to him as ‘Uncle Jack’ because he had nieces and nephews go through Central Elementary, so all the other kids ended up calling him that,” said Colleen Wallace, mayor of Banning. “I saw this and it made me cry because he was there to save this kid. That’s what Banning is about. Citizens who help each other.”
As CSEA members continue to make an impact in school communities across California, we are reminded that classified workers have always remained at the forefront of emergency response in our schools.
Sanchez’s heroics that day reflect a mentality proudly shared across the nation’s largest union of classified school employees: prioritizing student safety each and every day.
"It still hasn't registered in my head yet,” said Sanchez, “That I saved somebody’s life.”
