Video shows 9-year-old North Carolina boy save choking classmate with Heimlich

Dramatic video caught the moment a 9-year-old North Carolina student saved his classmate from choking by performing the Heimlich maneuver last week.

Jayceon Branch, a student at Raleigh Charter Elementary, stepped up at the perfect moment to save his friend while they were on the basketball court.

The incident, caught on school surveillance cameras, shows Jayceon approach his friend, 7-year-old Donye Moore, after he appears to hunch over. Donye was eating a granola bar that got stuck in his throat.

Jayceon, without hesitation, jumped into action and performed the Heimlich maneuver on Donye, saving him from choking on his food.

“I learned it from watching YouTube,” Jayceon told NBC News affiliate WRAL in Raleigh. “Because a teacher saw a student choking and the student came to the teacher and started doing this and then the teacher started doing what I did to Donye.”

Eric Johnson, the executive director of Raleigh Oak Charter School, couldn’t be prouder of Jayceon’s actions.

“He was a hero, he just saved a kid’s life,” Johnson said during a phone call with NBC News as he recalled the incident. 

WRAL captured both Jayceon and Donye’s mothers’ reaction as they watched the school surveillance video of their two boys.

“At first, I wasn’t understanding that he had to be given the Heimlich maneuver or anything like that. It was surprising. I’m just thankful his friend was able to demonstrate that on him,” said Donye’s mother, Aja Moore.

Johnson went on to speak highly of both boys, saying specifically of Jayceon,  “He sprung into action, and did his thing. We really try to teach that at our school … we’re really proud of him.”

Raleigh Oak Charter School on Monday held a “clap out” for Jayceon to celebrate his heroism. He requested that Donye be celebrated too, so the pair walked the halls while parents, teachers and students cheered for them both.