Third-grader saves choking friend | CTV News

An Arizona third-grader is being recognized by his local fire department after saving a friend from choking.

Eight-year-old Thomas Conley was sitting in his school lunchroom when he noticed that the boy sat next to him, Isaiah Rodriguez, was in distress.

“I was just doodling in my notebook, and then I just heard Isaiah crying,” Conley said in an on-camera interview. “Then I realized he was choking.”

Security footage provided by the City of Mesa, Ariz. shows Conley leaping into action as Rodriguez stands up with his hand at his throat, showing signs of panic.

Before Rodriguez could step out of reach, Conley pulled him back by his shirt and performed the Heimlich Manoeuvre, bringing his hands together and thrusting them into his friend’s diaphragm to create pressure in the airway and help dislodge the blockage.

With one swift motion, the offending food — a single grape — was cleared, rescuing Rodriguez.

“I was terrified,” Isaiah said after the incident. “I went to get some water, hoping it wouldn’t get stuck, too.”

Perfect timing

Though frightening, the lunchtime emergency came at an opportune moment. ABC News reports that according to Conley’s mother, they had only just recently discussed what to do when someone is choking.

“We are so proud of him,” Candice Conley said in footage shared by the Mesa Fire and Medical Department. “It just speaks to the type of person that he is; he’s such a good friend.”

“He’s one of those little guys who’s just into-action,” Conley’s father Christopher added.

For his heroics, Thomas was presented a Certificate of Appreciation from the department at a school assembly.

Also grateful was Rodriguez’ mother, Maria Anderson, who works at the school.

“I wanted (Thomas) to know how proud I was of him, and how thankful I was for him,” she said. “Him and my son have been friends for a long time.”

You can learn more about first aid procedures for emergencies at your local health authority. Information about the Heimlich Manouevre can be found here.

With files from ABC News