Would you like a Heimlich with that? Hero McDonald's employee, 15, jumps through drive-thru window to save customer choking on a chicken McNugget

 A teenage Minnesota McDonald's employee is being hailed a hero after she leapt from a drive-thru window to save a woman choking on a chicken McNugget. 

Sydney Raley, 15, from Edina, Minnesota, said she was working a 'mostly normal' shift at the Eden Prairie McDonalds Saturday when she popped her head out a window to inform a customer that the rest of her food would be ready shortly. 

That's when she realized the unidentified woman was in trouble.  

'She was coughing like crazy, and I noticed she was gagging,' Sydney told Kare 11. 'Her daughter was in the passenger seat and she looked so freaked out. I immediately knew: "Oh, no, she's choking."'

Raley, who has worked for the restaurant for seven months, told her manager and the woman's daughter to call 911 and began trying to save the woman.

+6

Sydney Raley, 15, (pictured) saved an unidentified woman in a Eden Prairie, Minnesota, McDonald's drive-thru after the customer choked on a chicken McNugget

+6

Raley, who has worked for the restaurant for seven months, said she noticed the woman was 'coughing' and 'gagging' and recognized that she was choking

Raley remembered the Heimlich maneuver, which she learned after taking a Red Cross babysitting class at age 11.

'All that training immediately kicked in,' she told CNN. 

'I jumped out the window of the drive-thru and I got her out of the car and I told her daughter to call 911. I started doing the Heimlich maneuver, but I’m not really strong so it didn’t work the first couple times,' she told Kare 11.  

After attempting the Heimlich a few times unsuccessfully, Raley called for a bystander to help her. 

A fellow customer stepped in to help and was able to dislodge the nugget from the woman's throat.

'It could've ended a lot worse but I am super thankful for that bystander who helped so much,' Raley told Kare 11. 'Because I am decent at first aid, but if it weren’t for him and our efforts together, it could've ended so much worse.'

+6

+6

Raley received $100 from the Eden Prairie Police Department after the officers who arrived at the scene rewarded her for her heroic actions 

+6

Raley eventually called on a bystander to help her after her first few attempts were unsuccessful. With the help of the man, who was waiting on his food, they were able to dislodge the nugget from the customer's throat 

Two Eden Prairie police officers responded to the scene and rewarded Raley with $100 for her efforts.

The money, which came from the police department's crime fund is awarded by officers in quantities of $50 to citizens demonstrating 'outstanding work.' 

'She is well-deserving of that money,' said Sergeant Scott Mittelstadt. 'We need more of her in this world.'

Raley's parents Tom and Stephanie were surprised when they pulled up to the restaurant to retrieve their daughter at the end of her shift. 

'There was an ambulance and a police car sitting there and I looked at my wife and said: "Please tell me that's not something for Sydney,"' Tom told CNN. 'And sure enough Sydney is sitting outside waiting for us to pick her up and says: "So this happened today."'

Tom credited Raley's autism for her ability to recall her Heimlich training from four years ago. 

'She can remember anything - do anything,' Tom said. 'It's crazy.'

+6

Her parents Tom and Stephanie (pictured) were on their way to the restaurant to pick up their daughter when they saw police cars and ambulances

Her mother Stephanie agreed, telling Kare 11: 'She remembered all of the training as a script in her head and was able to jump into action right away, just because it was stored up there and she can recall anything she reads and hears.' 

Even her employer recognized her 'heroic' actions.

'We are incredibly proud of Sydney and her quick, heroic actions over the weekend to help one of our valued customers,' Franchise owner Paul Ostergaard said in a statement.

'Sydney truly personifies what it is to be a hero and we are incredibly lucky to have her as a highly-valued crew member.'

Despite earning $100 and saving a life, Raley learned a bigger lesson: That she can make a difference. 

'[It feels] like I’m actually capable of contributing to society and actually capable of making a difference,' Raley told Kare 11.