Girl, eight, uses Heimlich maneuver to save choking friend

Eight-year-old Samantha Kelley is being hailed a local hero, not only for saving her friend's life but also for her determination to teach her peers lifesaving techniques.

Kelley was playing with a friend in her Puyallup, Washington, home. She had just picked out a movie for the two of them to watch when she told a joke that made her friend laugh. Almost immediately, her friend began choking on the tangerine slice she was eating.

Without hesitation, Kelley walked around her friend and started administering the Heimlich maneuver. It didn't take long until the tangerine slice dislodged from her friend's throat.

"I was just really scared, so I just did that on her, the Heimlich maneuver," Kelley said.

Soon after, Kelley's school honoured her with a courage award. The little girl is now on a mission to ensure that all of her friends know how to save lives too. She hopes to eventually become CPR certified.