Hunter Vanchure and Isaac Edwards didn’t go to the same elementary school and, truth be told, weren’t particularly close friends during their first eight months together in the Van Cleve Sixth Grade Building. 

 

“We just met this year, at the start of the year,” Isaac said. “We never really knew each other before that.” 

 

One life-changing – and life-saving – lunch two weeks ago has formed a lifetime bond between the two now, however.

 

“I’m very glad he was sitting there,” said Hunter, who was eating a piece of watermelon during lunch several weeks ago when a large piece became lodged in his throat. 

 

Unable to breathe, Hunter began holding both of his hands up to his throat, a sure sign that he was choking. Isaac, who was sitting across from him, wasted no time jumping up, running around the table and giving Hunter the Heimlich Maneuver. 

 

“I was eating watermelon and I didn’t chew it all the way,” Vanchure said. “When I tried to swallow it, it got stuck in my throat. I did the universal choking sign, and Isaac saw it and came over and did the Heimlich and it came out.” 

 

Isaac said that when he saw Hunter’s hands go up to his throat, he knew something was terribly wrong. 

 

“I knew what that symbol meant, so I just stood up and tried to see if it would come out, but it didn’t,” Isaac said. “So I just ran over and started giving him the Heimlich. I just reacted.”

 

Hunter said he learned to hold his hands up to his throat if he was ever choking while he was at Forest Elementary School. Isaac attended Concord Elementary School. 

 

“I knew what it symbolized,” Hunter said. “My last school taught it to us during introductions in the cafeteria.”

 

Fortunately for him, Isaac also knew what the symbol meant, and knew exactly what to do. He said he learned how to do the Heimlich from family members.

 

“I have a lot of police, firemen and military in my family,” Isaac said. “I had relatives who taught me how to do it.” 

 

Isaac’s quick thinking helped clear the watermelon from Hunter’s throat. After staff members checked on Hunter, things went back to normal pretty quickly for both he and Isaac.

 

“We didn’t really have a conversation about it,” Hunter said. “We just went straight back to eating.” 

Despite his heroism, Isaac didn’t think much of it, either, until he got home. 

 

“I didn’t really know what a big deal it was until my parents told me,” he said. 

 

Since the incident, as one might expect, the two have become better friends.

 

“Yes, for sure,” Isaac said.