HEROIC: 8-Year-Old Boy Honored For Saving Friend’s Life At School

An 8-year-old boy from Mesa, AZ is being honored for his heroic actions in saving a fellow classmate who choked during school lunch.

On November 14, third-grader Isaiah Rodriguez started choking on a grape during lunch at Porter Elementary School.

Before any teachers could do anything, his classmate Thomas Conley jumped to action and performed the Heimlich maneuver, saving his life.

Conley was honored by the local fire department.

What a courageous and kind boy.

The heroic act was caught on cafeteria surveillance:

HEROIC MOVE: 8-year-old Thomas Conley is being hailed as a hero after jumping into action during lunch to save his choking friend by performing the Heimlich maneuver. Thomas, who had never done the maneuver before, acted quickly to save his friend’s life. | @GriffJenkins pic.twitter.com/c0GP0V9YLI

— Fox News (@FoxNews) December 26, 2024

Video shows a second grade student saving his classmate who began choking during lunch last month at their school in Mesa, Arizona. The child, Thomas Conley, noticed the other student struggling and quickly performed the Heimlich maneuver to help.

The student was honored by the… pic.twitter.com/cKYxrkVBaG

— CBS News (@CBSNews) December 24, 2024

Here’s a video of young hero Thomas receiving an award from the Mesa Fire Department:

Thomas’ mother says he has been “very nonchalant” about the whole ordeal.

His response when asked why he jumped to action so quick? “Because that I didn’t want Isaiah to die.”

I have to praise this young man’s parents, who are obviously raising a boy who believes that helping others and doing good things is a no-brainer.

It’s just what you do.

Local news station 12 News covered the story:

It was quick action from a third grader in Mesa who saved the life of his fellow classmate who was choking, leading to him being recognized by Mesa Fire Department Tuesday.

Thomas Conley was seated next to Isaiah Rodriguez in the cafeteria at Porter Elementary School in Mesa on Nov. 14 when he began to choke on a grape.

“I heard him crying, so just like, what’s wrong? And for a second I didn’t know what what he was doing. But finally I realized that he was choking, so I just decided to do the Heimlich,” Conley said.

Conley said he wasn’t seated in his typical place in the cafeteria that day, but in one quick motion captured on the cafeteria’s cameras, Conley dislodges the grape before staff notice.

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“It’s because that I don’t want Isaiah to die,” Conley said.

Thomas’ heroism hits especially hard at his elementary school, where a special needs student died after choking several years before.

The New York Post reported:

Porter Elementary had a similar, but more tragic situation unfold nearly seven years to date in which a special needs student choked in the cafeteria and died, Kathy Ray, the Porter Elementary School’s principal, told KYMA.

So, the school rolled out the red carpet for Thomas to hail his fearlessness.

Last Tuesday, the Mesa Fire and Medical Department presented Thomas with a certificate to recognize his act at an assembly in front of all his peers.

“Thomas turned a regular lunchtime into an extraordinary act of bravery, making a huge difference. Seeing his friend in distress, Thomas wasted no time and jumped into action, saving Isaiah’s life from a choking incident,” the Mesa Fire Department wrote.

“Join us in applauding this young hero. Thomas, you inspire us to act courageously and promptly.”

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