An 8-year-old boy is being hailed as a hero after saving the life of his friend who was choking in an elementary school cafeteria.
Thomas Conley, a second-grader at Porter Elementary School in Mesa, Arizona, noticed his friend was choking on grapes and took action, according to local reports.
Conley immediately performed the Heimlich maneuver – also known as the abdominal thrust – on Isaiah Rodriguez, who released the grapes.
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Mesa Public Schools praised Conley on social media after the heroic moment, which took place on November 14.
An 8-year-old boy is being hailed as a hero after saving the life of his friend who was choking in an elementary school cafeteria. (Candice Conley/Mesa Public Schools)
“Thanks to Thomas' quick thinking, Isaiah was able to breathe normally again. Thank you, Thomas, for your bravery and being a true hero!”
Candice Conley, Thomas' mother, spoke to Fox News Digital about her son's life-saving actions.
“We are proud of him,” he said. “Thomas is quick-thinking and practical – and a really good friend.”
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The family often discusses food safety and kitchen safety at home, Conley said, as she and her husband both worked in the food industry, and now works for the Maricopa County Public Health Department.
“I think a lot of people, maybe even older people, might not realize that someone is choking,” she said. “Thomas immediately realized that he had to get some air to go up to pick the grapes.”
Thomas Conley (right) saved his friend, Isaiah Rodriguez (left), who was choking on grapes in the school cafeteria. (Candice Conley)
The parents of Rodriguez, the boy saved by Thomas Conley, are “very grateful,” Conley told Fox News Digital.
“When I first saw his mother, I immediately hugged her,” he said. “We're very thankful, more than anything, that Isaiah is okay.”
“Thomas is quick-thinking and practical – and a really good friend.”
“I'm so grateful, and I wanted him to know how proud I am of him and how grateful I am,” Isaiah's mother, Maria Anderson, said in a video posted by the Mesa Fire and Medical Department. “They have been friends with my son for a long time.”
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Thomas “didn't care at all” about what happened, Conley said.
“He was like, 'My friend needs help, so I helped him,'” she said.
Porter Elementary held an assembly with first responders from the Mesa Fire and Paramedic Department, who recognized Thomas' act of bravery and presented him with a certificate in front of his peers. (Candice Conley)
“It's great that Thomas played a part in that and that we can raise awareness about strangulation, because it could have been worse that day.”
Speaking to Fox News Digital, Thomas said, “I've probably never had this much attention in my life.”
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Last week, Porter Elementary held a meeting with first responders from the Mesa Fire and Paramedic Department, who recognized Thomas' act of bravery and presented him with a certificate in front of his peers.
Thomas Conley was photographed with a Mesa fire chief, who witnessed the boy's heroic act. (Candice Conley)
The Mesa Fire and Medical Department also recognized Thomas on their Facebook page.
They wrote: “Thomas turned an ordinary lunchtime into an act of incredible courage, which made a huge difference. “Seeing his friend in distress, Thomas wasted no time jumping into action, saving Isaiah's life in a choking incident. Join us in applauding this young hero. Thomas, you inspire us to act boldly and quickly.”
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It was presented by Dr. Henry Heimlich in 1975, the Heimlich maneuver was recommended by the American Heart Association Guidelines for Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation and Emergency Cardiovascular Care as the first line of treatment for airway obstruction.
This practice has a success rate of over 86% in choking cases, studies have shown.
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