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Nicholas Townsend, principal at The Calhoun School, has reported one new freshman for displaying good character through his actions during lunch last week.

Ja’Keltin McCall is a Fort Deposit resident in his first year attending school at Calhoun. During his lunch period on Aug. 8, he observed a fellow student in distress and took immediate action to provide life-saving aid.

According to Townsend, McCall noticed another student choking and quickly came to her aid, performing the Heimlich maneuver to dislodge food from her airway.

“The ninth graders were at lunch,” Townsend said. “One young lady started choking on her food, and one of our new ninth graders, Ja’Keltin McCall, helped her clear her airway.”

McCall said he had not performed the Heimlich maneuver prior to seeing his classmate in distress. Looking back, he said he simply realized something needed to be done and acted as he had seen others do in similar situations on television.

“I was getting finished eating and was throwing my trash away and somebody said that she was choking,” McCall said. “She would bend over and grab her throat. So, I ran over and did the Heimlich maneuver. It’s like my body moved on its own.”

For McCall, the instinct to act came naturally, without uncertainty over what was needed, or fear of what others might think.

“I was nervous,” he said. Then, McCall said he felt worried, concerned for his classmate’s wellbeing.

McCall said he hopes people faced with the opportunity to provide assistance, will boldly chose to act and potentially save a life.

“Just try to help,” McCall said. “And if you don’t know what to do, try to help until people who do know how to help arrive.”

Townsend said he appreciates McCall, who exemplifies a willing spirit to help others when called upon to do so.

“He’s a real hero,” Townsend said. “He showed extreme courage. Normally, our ninth-grade students are bashful and kind of stay in the background. They don’t want to be seen. But to look around and see nothing was being done and to jump into action like that, possibly saving a life, speaks volumes about his character.”