VALDOSTA — Though what she did last Sunday to save a woman’s life would be considered by most to be heroic, 22-year-old Laura Mason does not consider herself a hero.

“When you’re faced with a situation like that, you’re not just going to let somebody in trouble not be helped if you can help them,” Mason humbly explained. “For me, I will always help someone if I can. And in this situation, luckily I was trained to do so.”

Mason works in a group home for mentally and physically handicapped adults off North Oak Street Extension. Following lunch at the home March 30, one particular resident went to the kitchen counter and found a grilled cheese sandwich. The 36-year-old non-verbal patient, whom Mason said has problems eating and must have her food chopped up in pieces before eating, placed the entire sandwich in her mouth and walked back to her room.

At that point Mason said she walked by the room and could see the woman choking.

“She couldn’t breath and I could see her trying to scream, but nothing came out,” Mason recalled. After attempting the Heimlich maneuver and a finger sweep trying to dislodge the sandwich, the woman started to lose consciousness.

“By that time, her eyes started to roll back into her head and she turned blue on me,” Mason said. “I called my supervisor who called 911 and I began CPR and gave her mouth to mouth and chest compressions. When I heard someone at the door I gave her one last big breath and she breathed back.”

By the time EMS and police arrived, Mason’s supervisor, Tyra Creasy, was not far behind.

“I was so scared driving there, but when I got there everything was fine. It could have been much worse,” Creasy said. “Police and EMTs both said she (Mason) did everything exactly as it should have been done. It was just a perfect job and the end result is that our individual is alive and fine with no aspiration or complications.”

The woman was transported to the hospital just as a policy and a precaution, but emergency workers told Mason that it was her quick response that saved the woman’s life.

“When I realized what was happening I was panicking. I felt helpless, but I had to do what was necessary and I had to get the food out of her mouth,” Mason explained. “So much was going through my head, but when you have someone in front of you, dying on you, what do you do but help?”

“I don’t know how you put words on it or describe it,” Creasy said discussing her feelings of appreciation for Mason. “You can’t ever repay someone for something like that. You can say thank you, but it seems so small. And for what she did, the words just seem inadequate.”

Though she was well-trained and had CPR training since age 12 and certification since high school, Mason said the incident still shook her up.

“When you start at Normal Life you go through two weeks worth of training, and CPR and first aid are required,” Mason said. “But you never really expect to use it. In training a dummy doesn’t breath back. A dummy doesn’t turn blue.”

Mason completed her degree from Georgia Military College in psychology and sociology and had always been interested in working with the physically and mentally handicapped describing the work as her “comfort zone.” The interest began when it was discovered that Mason’s older brother, who is now in his late 20s, had a brain tumor at the age of 8.

“It slowed his learning down and even though he is fine now, when I was younger I was interested in getting to know about dealing with people with learning disabilities,” Mason explained.

Normal Life of Georgia runs seven group homes in Valdosta and one in Adel with the goal of offering a strong family environment for each of their residents.

Though Mason said she was shaking for days after the incident occurred, she wouldn’t consider going anywhere else.

Creasy added that though visibly shaken following the incident, Mason was right back at work the next day caring for the four residents of her group home as if they were part of her family, which is something Creasy said that all of her staff do on a daily basis.

“She’s very caring, giving,” Creasy said describing Mason. “My home has four mentally and physically challenged adults. The one she was with that day has intense times, but Laura never shied away or was scared of her. She’s a team player. Anything I ask she’s always willing to do that and more and I’m blessed to have people that committed in my home. When they move in we become their family and she truly enjoys being with them.”

Creasy added that the company is working to find the right way to acknowledge Mason’s act of heroism, though she can’t think of anything that will truly express their gratitude.