'It was the longest 60 seconds of my life': Inmate honored for saving a deputy with the Heimlich

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A Virginia inmate formed a friendship with a retired deputy at his correctional facility after saving his life using the Heimlich.

Over the summer, Curtis Harrell was in a workforce program where retired deputies teach various skills to help them secure jobs upon release from the Chesapeake Correctional Center.

Harrell told WTKR he was in the right place at the right time when Deputy Robert Rensch started choking on a sandwich he was eating.

"At that time, I gave him the Heimlich," Harrell said. "It took a little while, but eventually he coughed up what he was choking on. It was the longest 60 seconds of my life."

Turns out, Harrell not only saved someone with the Heimlich for the first time, but he saved the life of the man who taught him the maneuver.

This week, Harrell received a citizen's service award for his heroic act, which he said he'd do again without hesitation.

"Anytime you can save a life you should, and he'd do the same for me," Harrell said.