Williams said he learned the Heimlich maneuver by watching SpongeBob Squarepants.

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"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," said Brandon's father Anthony.

The class held a party for both Brandon, and the girl he saved.

Some of the adults in the school said Brandon is a hero and deserves a medal, but he disagrees.

"I don't need a medal. I'm good, I'm good," Brandon said.

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Students line up after school for school buses at Sequoyah Middle School in Doraville on Wednesday, Dec. 10, 2025. The school’s principal told teachers not to talk to students about ICE, and teachers and activists are pushing back. (Arvin Temkar/AJC)

Credit: arvin.temkar@ajc.com