7th Grader With Autism Now a Hero Thanks to SpongeBob Squarepants
A boy with autism learned a life-saving skill from an unlikely place.
Brandon Williams, 13, was eating lunch at Barnes Intermediate School in Staten Island, New York, when he noticed a classmate was choking on some food, The Staten Island Advance reported. Brandon sprang into action and performed the Heimlich maneuver on Jessica Pellegrino, dislodging a piece of apple from her throat. When asked where he’d learned the technique, Williams credited an unusual source — the cartoon show “SpongeBob SquarePants.”
“He picks up on things that most of us would miss, and files it all away in his head, and he can recall it all in an instant,” Williams’ father told the paper. “That’s how he knew instantly what to do. And we’re glad he did. We’re proud of him.”
Brandon and Jessica’s class later had a little party to celebrate his quick thinking.
Hear from Brandon and Jessica in the video below:
Melissa McGlensey is the former News Editor at The Mighty. Her writing can also be seen in Ms. Magazine, on the Ms.Magazine blog and in The Huffington Post’s Good News, Comedy and Impact sections. Melissa is also a New York City comedian who does sketch, improv and stand up. She is passionate about social justice, politics, Thai food, literature, disability rights and more. She is currently in a long-distance relationship with her cat, Sneakers, who lives in California. You can follow her on twitter at @OhHeyMeliss.
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