(ANCHOR ON CAM)
A TWELVE-YEAR-OLD GIRL SAVED HER BEST FRIEND'S LIFE TODAY BY PERFORMING THE HEIMLICH MANEUVER ON HER. MIRIAM STAROBIN SAYS SHE LEARNED HOW TO DO THE HEIMLICH FROM WATCHING IT ON SPONGEBOB. SARAH GRAY HAS THE STORY.
(GRAY/VO)
SPONGEBOB SQUARE-PANTS, A FICTIONAL NICKELODEON CARTOON, WAS CREDITED YESTERDAY WITH INSPIRING A LIFESAVING RESCUE IN LONG BEACH NEW YORK.
STAROBIN HAD JUST FINISHED REHEARSING A SONG IN MUSIC CLASS WHEN HER TEACHER CRACKED A JOKE THAT HAD THE CLASS LAUGHING.
(STAROBIN)
"Allyson was chewing gum, which she shouldn't have been. We were laughing and then the gum gets lodged in Ally's throat. And she stopped laughing, which was weird because Ally laughs a lot."
(GRAY/VO)
THATS WHEN STAROBIN REMEMBERED AN EPISODE OF SPONGEBOB SQUARE-PANTS WHERE SHE BELIEVES SHE SAW SPONGEBOB USE THE HEIMLICH MANEUVER TO RETRIEVE A CLARINET LODGED IN THE THROAT OF ANOTHER CHARACTER, SQUIDWARD.
(STAROBIN)
"And I get her up and I do the Heimlich and the gum goes flying out of her mouth."
(GRAY/VO)
THE FUNNY THING IS, A NICKELODEON SPOKESMAN SAYS THERE WAS NEVER AN ACTUAL EPISODE OF SPONGEBOB PERFORMING THE HEIMLICH.
(SPOKESPERSON)
"Not that we can find."
(GRAY/VO)
NEITHER OF THE GIRLS WERE CONCERNED ABOUT THAT.
(ALLYSON GOLDEN)
"It didn't exactly show the Heimlich maneuver, but SpongeBob kicked Squidward in the stomach the same way you would put pressure with your hands."
(GRAY/VO)
THOUGH SHE GAINED FAME FROM THE PROCESS, STAROBIN REFUSES TO BELIEVE SHE IS A HERO.
(STAROBIN)
"I mean heroes are people who literally risk their lives to save people. I mean I did something that really anyone could if they tried."
