Malik GipsonLast month, 2-year-old Michael Gipson was eating a peppermint candy in his Jonesboro, Georgia home. When he started to choke, his 8-year-old brother, Malik, tried to call his parents for help, but they were outside doing yard work and didn't hear him over the sound of the leaf blower.

Understanding that his brother's life was in jeopardy, Malik took matters into his own hands. He'd seen the Heimlich maneuver on television before, and so he tried it himself as his great grandmother, Elaine Pines, watched in awe. She told CBS Atlanta, "He kept doing it, he kept doing it, and after a while that peppermint went 'choop'!"

It's amazing that Malik was able to think so quickly and knew what to do. What could have happened if he hadn't -- his baby brother choking to death -- is too horrifying to imagine.

I love the reaction from the boys' great grandmother that you can see in the following video, which says it all. "I said, 'Oh thank you, Jesus. Oh Malik, thank you baby!'"

The Heimlich is such an important technique and one we should all make sure that not only do we know, but that our children know as well. You just never know when they'll need it and whose life they could save. But how do we teach them besides just relying on cartoons, especially if we're rusty ourselves?

There are likely classes in your area that would be great to take as a family, as well as online resources. This coloring page on the Heimlich maneuver is a good starting place, and instructional videos like this one can be watched together. It's something I haven't tried to teach my children, but am definitely going to do after seeing this story. Hopefully plenty of other people will be inspired to do so too because of the example of this brave boy.

Have you taught your child the Heimlich maneuver?


Image via CBS Atlanta