CBS Atlanta 468-year-old saves 2-year-old with Heimlich Maneuver

8-year-old saves 2-year-old with Heimlich Maneuver

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JONESBORO, GA (CBS ATLANTA) -

An 8-year-old Jonesboro boy will be honored by the Clayton County Fire Department on Tuesday, after he used the Heimlich maneuver to help dislodge a piece of peppermint candy from his 2-year-old brother's throat.

Malik Gipson said he learned the move after seeing it in a Disney cartoon.  His brother Michael finally spit out the candy after choking for several seconds.

Elaine Pines, great grandmother to Malik and Michael, witnessed the entire sequence in her living room last month, while the boys' parents were outside doing yard work.  She said Malik immediately realized what was happening to his brother, and started performing the Heimlich.

"He kept doing it, he kept doing it, and after a while that peppermint went 'choop'!" said Elaine Pines, describing the moment when the candy popped out.  "I said 'oh Malik, there it is, thank you!'"

She said it was unlikely the boy would have survived if they'd had to wait on an ambulance to arrive.

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