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Quick-Thinking 8th Grader Saves Choking Friend's Life

BUTLER (KDKA) -- The quick-thinking of one eighth grader may have saved his best friend's life.

Alex Safran and Mason Grenci were in religion class at Butler Catholic School recently when Mason took a drink from his water bottle.

"The rubber spout at the top became loose, and as I was drinking, I was inhaling, and it got lodged in my throat," said Grenci, who quickly realized he was in real trouble.

"I tried to cough and there was nothing I could do," said Grenci. "I couldn't talk. I couldn't breathe."

He managed to make a faint noise and waved to get Alex's attention.

"I told the teacher, 'He's choking!'" said Safran.

The teacher ran to get help, and Grenci, turning red, got nervous.

"I was just really scared of the fear of choking or the fear of dying," he said.

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That's when Alex stepped in.

"I told him to stand up, and I did the Heimlich on him," Alex said.

Alex had no formal training, but remembered that his mother once performed the maneuver on him.

Soon the rubber spout came flying out of Grenci's mouth.

The teacher returned to find the crisis over.

"She came back into the room and congratulated us," said Safran.

Grenci's mom immediately threw out the re-usable sports water bottle. She also contacted the company that makes it, but has yet to hear back.

She's urging other parents to check their children's water bottles to make sure rubber spouts are attached and won't come loose.

As for his best friend's quick-thinking, Grenci says, "I'm really grateful for it, and I'm very lucky to have a friend who knows me well enough to know to take it seriously to stay calm, stay cool."

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