Third grade student in Arizona recognized for saving classmate’s life

MESA, Ariz. (NBC, KYMA/KECY) - A third grader in Arizona jumped into action when he realized his classmate was choking on a grape.

Thomas Conley is a third grade student at Porter Elementary School in Mesa who, on November 14, was sitting in the cafeteria with his friend, Isaiah.

"We got kind of mixed up for the where we're sitting. So I ended up getting sit sat in the back by Isaiah," Conley shared.

That is when Isaiah started to choke.

"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.

One quick motion, Conley saved Isaiah's life.

"I actually didn't hear about it until after school, when Isaiah mom came and said, 'Hey, I heard this story that my son was choking on a grape, and a kid gave him the Heimlich.' We pulled the camera...I had to just keep watching it. It was incredible. Isaiah wanted to call Thomas's mom, and he's the one who told her [that her son saved him]," said Kathy Ray, Principal at Porter Elementary School.

"It's because that I don't want Isaiah to die," Conley remarked.

It was a real scenario Porter Elementary has already experienced.

"Seven years to the same month, almost to the day, we did have a student, a special needs student, choke in our cafeteria that did not make it, and so it was very emotional," Ray spoke.

On Tuesday, the Mesa Fire Department (MFD) celebrated the eight-year-old hero who immediately jumped into action to save a friend's life.

"You shouldn't be scared to help somebody," Conley expressed.