'Honey Badger' labelled a hero after saving little girl choking on lolly
He is the former rugby union star known as the "Honey Badger", but this morning Nick Cummins is being called a hero after coming to the rescue of a terrified family in a Melbourne park.
The father of three jumped into action, saving a little girl named Maddy who he saw choking on a lolly at her third birthday party.
"I was pushing the kids on the swing when I looked over and saw some sort of commotion going on," Honey Badger told Today.
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Nick Cummins is being called a hero after coming to the rescue of a terrified family in a Melbourne park. Today
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"So I just turned up, Johnny-on-the-spot, mate, and did what anyone would have done."
Little Maddy's mum, Bronwyn, was setting up the party while trying to entertain the children, not thinking much of it when her daughter asked for a lolly.
"She just inhaled it and she started making these choking noises and I tried to kind of smack it out myself, but when I realised that wasn't working, the panic set in," Bronwyn told Today.
Brownyn ran over to a nearby group of parents and pleaded for help, unsure of what else she could do.
And thankfully, Cummins was ready to help.
"Nick came over and just gave her a few good whacks on the back, but I didn't realise that it was seriously lodged," Bronwyn said.
"So he held her upside down and gave her a good smack between the shoulder blades and (the lolly) came popping out."
Nick admitted the back blows he provided were quite firm, with his own son even asking afterwards why he was "smacking" the little girl.
The Honey Badger leapt into action. The honey badger, Nick Cummins, in action. (AAP)
Nick is encouraging parents to educate themselves on what to do if their child is choking. Today
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But the footy star is reminding Aussie parents to familiarise themselves with and educate themselves on correct first aid training, should they ever find themselves in a similar situation with their own child.
"You just launch into it, when I saw that terror in (Maddy's mum's) eyeballs and knowing it's a time-sensitive situation, the gravity sort of does sink in," he said.
"And I was thinking I have a responsibility, so that's not happening today if I can help it."
Hear the full chat with Honey Badger and Maddy's family in the video above
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