02/09/2026
Would you know what to do like Maitham.
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Maitham saved his baby brother’s life.
Maitham, 13, was at home in West London when his two-day-old brother, Mohammad-Jawad, started choking on his own vomit and turned blue.
He remembers: "I was in my room when I heard a commotion. I heard my mum and grandmother panicking, so I came downstairs to see them holding my baby brother. Mohammad-Jawad was opening his mouth as if he was trying to take a breath, but he wasn't making any noise.”
Raghad, Maitham’s mum: "The colour had gone from his face, and his lips were turning blue. I was so terrified we were going to lose him. I didn’t know what to do. I had no first aid training.”
Thankfully, Maitham joined St John Ambulance when he was nine, alongside his older sister. Drawing on the first aid training he had received as a St John Ambulance cadet, Maitham stayed calm and quickly stepped in.
Maitham: “I went up to my mum and told her to rest him on her arm, belly first and supporting his head with her hand, and give him back blows. Not too hard, but hard enough to dislodge anything in the airway.
“After two back blows, Mohammad-Jawad started crying, but my mum was still worried, so I reassured her that because he was crying, it meant that his airways were open."
Raghad: “Maitham was so calm and steady. I couldn't believe it was Maitham talking. He was telling me what to do, making sure I stayed calm.
“The colour came back and my baby was breathing again. It's all down to Maitham's extensive knowledge which he learned with St John.”
Maitham told his dad to call an ambulance. The paramedics arrived and Mohammad-Jawad was subsequently assessed by healthcare professionals.
Tom, Maitham’s Youth Leader: “You're never too young to learn lifesaving skills. A few minutes spent learning how to help someone who is choking, or a few hours learning CPR, how to use an AED, or how to respond to a medical emergency, could one day make the difference between life and death.”
You never know when you might need your first aid skills, or whose life you could save. We're so proud of Maitham for staying calm under pressure and using his skills to prevent a tragedy.
Want to learn first aid for free? This Save a Life September, you can attend volunteer-led first aid demos or check out our online guides. Link in comments.
