COLUMBIA, S.C. — A veteran is receiving the highest honor from the American Red Cross after saving the life of another veteran.
Johnathan Upton has been Red Cross CPR Certified for two and a half years now.
"You never think you're going to have to use it until you do," said Upton. "I think it just happens. It's something that I encourage my kids and my neighbors' kids and even their family members to go out and try it out."
Last year on Veterans Day, Upton went to a Golden Corral with the Fort Jackson Youth Group for the Red Cross.
While Upton was walking through a restaurant, he noticed someone choking.
"I look over to my right while I was walking around and I saw a veteran in a wheelchair with a family member and the family member was reaching across the table," said Upton. "I walked over there and noticed that he was choking."
After receiving permission to help him out, Upton used his training from the American Red Cross to help save the other veterans life.
"At first you don't want to freak. Second thing is what can I do to make the situation better," said Upton. "With all the education the Red Cross provides, they definitively give you enough education to make most situations better."
On Tuesday, Upton was surprised and given the American Red Cross Certificate of Merit.
This award is given to an "individual who saves or sustains a life by using skills and knowledge learned in an American Red Cross Training Services course."
"For me, it's always going to be a first response," said Upton. "Anybody who's choking or that needs assistance, for him, I hope tomorrow he that he'll go out and about again with his family and he's able to say once again Veteran's Day and how much it means to him and really just keep driving on in life."
Upton went onto say, "My family means the world to me. We're a military family still," explained Upton. "My wife is currently active duty at Fort Jackson and without my family, I wouldn't be where I'm at today."
For more information about the American Red Cross, click here.