Nine year old Shailyn Ryan had just learned how to do the Heimlich maneuver at a “Home Alone” kids safety class when she found herself in a situation to use the life-saving skill the very next day.

Shailyn was at lunch in her school’s cafeteria when she felt one of her best friend’s hand suddenly gripping her shoulder.

Keira Silvia (8) held her other hand to her throat, unable to speak, as her face rapidly turned red, and then blue, and Shailyn immediately knew her friend was choking.

Shailyn jumped out of her seat, positioned herself behind Keira, tipped her friend slightly forward and wrapped her arms around her, making a fist with one hand and grasping it with her other, then pressing as hard as she could, pushing upward just like she’d learned less than 24 hours earlier.

The piece of hot dog that had been lodged in Keira’s throat popped up, thanks to Shailyn. Everything happened so fast, the cafeteria workers and most of the other kids in the lunchroom didn’t even notice what had just happened.

Shailyn shares, “I didn’t really think about it — I just did it . . . I wasn’t scared, but I knew I had to do something fast, so I did.”

“She’s awesome, a really good friend,” shares Keira, continuing, “I swallowed too much of my hot dog and I was choking and couldn’t breathe — it was scary. After Shailyn helped me, I cried and I hugged her . . . And yeah, I told her ‘Thank You.'”

Kids are so much more capable than most adults give them credit for. It’s beyond important to teach these lifesaving skills to kids and adults of all ages.

You never know when you’ll need a skill to save a life until the exact moment you need to use it.

(MSN)