Familiar Faces

Kristin (Kachelmyer) Krusemark

HOMETOWN:

Mankato

CURRENT OCCUPATION:

Fourth grade teacher

CURRENT NETFLIX BINGE:

“The Crown”

FUNNIEST THING A KID IN YOUR CLASS EVER SAID TO YOU:

When I was engaged and told my class what my new last name was going to be after I got married, a boy said “Krusemark? I don’t know if I like that. It reminds me of a mark of the Kruse or something.”

The term “life saver” gets thrown around a lot.

When someone does something helpful for us, we like to say, “Oh man, you’re a life saver.”

Well, today we’re introducing you to an actual life saver.

Quick-thinking Kristin Krusemark was in the right place at the right time twice, she delivered the Heimlich maneuver twice, and newly jostled chicken chunks — and easier breathing — followed.

But don’t take our word for it. Let Kristin — teacher, mom, daughter, Heimlicher — tell the story.

MANKATO MAGAZINE: Tell us where you’re from and a little bit about your family.

KRISTIN KRUSEMARK: I am originally from Mankato. I graduated from Mankato East High School and went to Gustavus Adolphus College. My husband, Brady, and I are both teachers in the Mankato school district. He teaches band at Mankato West High School and I teach fourth grade at Roosevelt Elementary. We have three kids: Ben is 11 and in fifth grade, Anna is 8 and in second grade, Isaac is 5 and is in preschool. We are very lucky to have both of our families in Mankato and we see each other often.

MM: We understand you’re a bit of a hero, and an expert practitioner of the Heimlich maneuver. Is it true you’ve saved two lives?

KK: Yes, it is true. I have been lucky to be in the right place at the right time twice in my life. The first time was about 10 years ago and I was working at Franklin Elementary. My teaching partner and I were walking down the hallway during our prep period when one of our fellow teachers came around the corner with a panicked look on her face and her hands across her throat. I told my teaching partner to call 911 and I quickly came behind her, wrapped my arms around her, found her xiphoid process (yes, I still remember that from first aid and CPR class in college), made a fist and gave her a couple of quick upward thrusts.

A chunk of chicken came flying out of her mouth. Once her airway was unobstructed, everything else was fine. We stood in the hallway and hugged while we tried to process what just happened. After that we all just went on our ways and back to teaching. It was surreal.

The second time came just this past summer while my family and I were in Montana. We were enjoying a stroll around a town and were going in and out of shops. We happened to linger outside a particular store because it had a piano outside and we were encouraging our son to play it.

We were there a couple minutes longer than we planned and it was perfect timing because a woman came out of her truck that was parked next to us and made gestures to Brady and myself. Initially we thought she was sick and were confused as to what was going on. After just a second I realized she was choking.

Knowing that I had done this once already before, Brady quickly got himself and the kids out of the way while I gave this woman the Heimlich maneuver. It took only a couple thrusts, but again a chunk of chicken came out.

After that we just looked at each other and hugged for a while. She told me her name and that she was just trying to quickly eat lunch before she had to go pick up her kids from soccer practice.

We were the only ones on the block. I’m not sure the woman would have survived if we hadn’t been there. Again, we just both went our separate ways, shocked at what had just happened. It really had an impact on the kids who saw the whole thing happen.

MM: Two Heimlichs, two saved lives: How were you able to think so fast and take action?

KK: As a teacher I am used to making thousands of little decisions every day. I just knew in each of these moments that someone needed help and that I was willing and able to provide help.

I took first aid and CPR class at Gustavus as part of my coaching certificate. I can still remember sitting in my professor’s classroom at Lund learning about basic first aid, including the Heimlich maneuver.

Also, my mom is a nurse and was an emergency room nurse for 25-plus years. She is always calm and knows what to do in emergency medical situations. I am very lucky to have her as a role model.

You never know when these situations might happen and it is really important that people know what to do. You never know, you might be the difference between life and death for someone.

MM: You’re lucky enough to have three young children. Tell us what makes the Mankato area a great place to raise kids.

KK: Mankato is a great place to raise kids! Our schools are fantastic. Our city is large enough that kids have many opportunities, both curricular and extracurricular, to discover their passions. It is also small enough that kids don’t have to specialize.

There are great activities for our kids. Our kids have enjoyed activities through District 77, YMCA, Community Ed, Mankato Ballet, Anja Scheidel’s Musikgarten, Southern Minnesota Children’s Museum, etc.

In addition, our community is safe and filled with caring adults. We also love our Christ the King church community and friends in our North Mankato neighborhood.

MM: How has being a parent affected the way you interact with children in your classrooms?

KK: Becoming a parent has undoubtedly made me a better teacher. I try to teach every child as if they were my own. I truly love and care for my students and do my best to help them grow to the best of their abilities while they are in my classroom. I intentionally work to make my classroom a warm and welcoming place where we work hard and have fun together.

I also understand how hard it is to be a parent and do my best to work as a partner with my students’ parents in their child’s education.

MM: What made you want to become a teacher?

KK: I’ve always known that I wanted to help people. I narrowed down my choices in college between medicine or education. Ultimately, my love for kids and education was the best fit for me. I really love what I do and it’s a great career to have as a mother of three busy children.

I had some incredible teachers at Washington Elementary, Franklin Elementary and Mankato East that inspired me to go into education. I also knew that I wanted to coach and education was the natural path to doing that.

MM: Tell us something about you that would surprise people.

KK: I was a three-sport athlete at Mankato East and am in the Hall of Fame there. I also played basketball and volleyball at Gustavus. I coached volleyball, basketball and softball for about 10 years. I was the head varsity softball coach when I taught in Waconia and I was the head girls basketball coach for several years here at Mankato West.

When Anna was born in 2014 it was clear to me that I was not able to be both the mom I wanted to be for my children and the coach that my players deserved. It was hard to give up something I loved so much.

MM: What does Kristin Krusemark do when she gets to do whatever she wants?

KK: I like to go for a long run with a great playlist or “Radio Lab” podcast, bake up a storm and make a big mess of my kitchen, and hang out with great friends over a glass of wine.