Kids often wonder if what they learn in school will ever apply to real life. Jonathan Ale, had no idea what he learned in Health Class could mean the difference between life and death.

As part of his health curriculum in his junior year at Bound Brook High School, Jon learned Red Cross Adult CPR and First Aid from his teacher Mrs. Nancy Yuzuik. Nancy taught Physical Education and has been a Red Cross Health and Safety instructor for 20 years. According to Jon, “When I took the class, I thought that the skills I learned were would be good knowledge to have in an emergency. I never thought I actually need to use them.”

This past May, Jon and his friends were sitting around telling jokes at lunchtime. It was just another day. Everyone was laughing and enjoying their lunch but then Jon’s friend started coughing. At first everyone thought that the girl had laughed a little too hard. She then started coughing more and began to turn purple. “I realized that she was in trouble.” Without hesitation Jon reacted. “I asked her if she was choking. She nodded her head yes. I didn’t need to think about it, I knew what I had to do.” Jon placed his left hand on her stomach and his right hand on her back and applied the technique he learned in Red Cross training for choking victims. After two tries, Jon dislodged the food his friend was choking on. She was in shock at first. Realizing what had happened, she thanked him. “I was just happy that she was okay” said Jon.

Jon says his parents, Mark and Cathy Ale, were very proud of him and happy that he had taken the Red Cross training. According to Jon, “It was great that the Red Cross training was available. Everyone should have it.”