This sixth-grader saved his friend's life — thanks to first-aid training he got during class

It was a story that could have ended much worse. Windsor, Ont., Grade 6 student Tony Elsoury was chewing as he got up and moments later, his friend was giving him a life-saving Heimlich manoeuvre.

It's something students were prepared for thanks to an in-class first aid training at his school, École élémentaire catholique Sainte-Thérèse.

"When it happened, it felt like, you know when you're underwater deep and you can't breathe anymore," said Tony, 12, of the incident last Thursday. "When he was helping me, it felt like I was trying to swim up. When he saved me, it felt like my head popped out of the water and I actually got the chance to breathe."

Tony says it started when he took a quick bite of pasta as he was getting up to use the bathroom before recess. Realizing all of a sudden that he couldn't inhale, he turned back to his classmates knowing they were all trained in first aid.

Tony says he was scared, but knew he had to calm down so his friends could help.

At first, Tony says some students thought he was joking around. But his good friend Zane Bassam says he noticed Tony really needed help.

"His face was like really red. He had his hands around his neck and he couldn't breathe and there was spit coming down his mouth and all that," said Zane. "That's when I knew."

Zane says he directed another student to go get the teacher from the neighbouring classroom, and started first aid himself: First, a series of five hard back blows that didn't work, then the Heimlich manoeuvre.

"I was really anxious," Zane said. "But I knew that I didn't want it to get any worse. So I just went straight ahead."

Students credit teacher with first-aid knowledge

Student Dominic Vitale was the one who ran to the class next door to get the teacher.

"[I was thinking] 'oh my God' he's really choking," Dominic said. "I wouldn't have thought this would actually happen this year, but it did."

The Heimlich manoeuvre is a series of five abdominal thrusts, performed by wrapping your arms around someone from their back and pushing hard, with both hands and a quick upward motion, into their stomach to dislodge objects trapped in their throat. When done correctly, it works by using the remaining air in a person's lungs to dislodge the object.

Moments later, Tony was just fine and gave his friend a hug.

The students knew how to provide this life-saving level of first aid because of their teacher, Mary Elizabeth Rousseau.

"She wanted to teach us just in case anything happens," Zane said.

École élémentaire catholique Sainte-Thérèse Grade 6 teacher Mary Elizabeth Rousseau. Rousseau says her students received two days of in-class first-aid training — training that helped one of her students save another from choking last week. (Meg Roberts/CBC)

At the beginning of the year, the students all received two days of in-class first aid training, a combination of two courses — the Red Cross's Stay Safe first-aid program for nine to 13-years-olds, and the organization's babysitting course, Rousseau said.

Rousseau credits the school's principal for giving the green light for the training.

Grade 6 students at Sainte-Thérèse are "lunch monitors" for students in younger grades.

"What was really important in my mind was that they not be in a situation where there's an emergency ... obviously choking is a big risk at lunchtime," Rousseau said. "I wanted them to be prepared."

Zane Bassam and Tony Elsoury. Tony choked on a bite of pasta last week — but thanks to first-aid training students received in class, Zane was able to perform the Heimlich maneuvere. (Meg Roberts/CBC)

Getting students age-appropriate training early on is importance to building confidence in first aid, Rousseau says.

"When they come into these situations, they're prepared, they're confident, they're not scared, they won't hesitate to jump in and act, which is all part of creating a safe community," Rousseau said.

Rousseau says she's thankful her students knew what to do in an emergency.

"I try not to think about [what could have happened], and I just like to focus on the fact that they knew what to do and they acted," she said.

Instead, she encourages everyone to take a basic first aid course.

"It should be in all of our schools, not just the minimum two people trained, but every single person on staff should be trained in first aid," she said.

Rousseau says Zane has been nominated for a Red Cross award.

Tony says he's still thinking about the incident, knowing it could have been worse.

"I'm thinking like, if he didn't know what to do, I could have probably still been in the hospital," Tony said.

And both boys say it's a lesson that will stay with them for life and they're thankful their teacher gave them the training.

"This is something that I'll always keep in my head because it's really important," Zane said.

"If something ever happens again, I'll be ready to save someone."