How A High School Senior Used The Heimlich To Save A Stranger And Kept Walking

A stranger in distress. A teen who didn’t look away. When a driver in a school parking lot signaled she couldn’t breathe, North Henderson senior Dylan Kleinknecht trusted his instincts, performed the Heimlich, and saved a life—then quietly went on with his day. We unpack the moment step by step, explore why basic first aid matters, and talk about the humility that often defines real heroism.

We also share a heartfelt tribute to Greg Biffle, the retired NASCAR champion whose personal helicopter missions after Hurricane Helene delivered insulin, formula, chainsaws, and essentials across North Carolina’s mountain communities. His example shows how leadership and logistics can scale compassion, turning private resources into public relief when it matters most.

Rounding out the conversation, we provide a grounded look at Western North Carolina real estate: more closed sales year over year, prices holding near the mid-540s for single-family homes, longer days on market, and lean inventory under 600 listings. Interest rates may fluctuate, but life changes drive moves. We offer practical tips for buyers and sellers on timing, pricing, preparation, and financing so you can navigate the market with clarity and confidence.

If this story moved you, share it with someone who’d benefit from a reminder that everyday skills save lives and everyday people can be heroes. Subscribe for more local stories, market insights, and ways to get involved. Have a hometown hero we should meet? Send us a note and leave a review to help others find the show.

Transcript

Ten Years On Air

SPEAKER_01 0:00

The George Real Estate Group Radio broadcast is celebrating 10 years on WHKP. The George Real Estate Group is celebrating 10 years on the radio live every Thursday morning at 10.05 on WHKP 107.7 FM and AM 1450, and streaming online at WHKP.com. Each Friday morning at 8.45, the George Real Estate Group presents the Hometown Hero Award to someone in our community who goes above and beyond to make our hometown a better place to live. Here's this week's Hometown Hero Show. It's 845 on Friday morning, and that is always time to gather with us for uh the George Real Estate Group Hometown Hero Show. And it's a pleasure always on Fridays to gather with uh Noah George. Noah, good morning.

SPEAKER_02 0:57

Good morning and happy Friday, and so much to be thankful for and thankful to be here on this uh Friday morning Hometown Hero series.

Holiday Programming Plans

SPEAKER_01 1:05

Yeah, we uh we gather every every year and uh uh let's put in a shameless plug. Uh uh coming up uh Thursday, Christmas Day, uh that is your normal time that you're on the air at 10.05 each morning.

SPEAKER_02 1:21

Every Thursday, yes, every Thursday we do the the George Will State Group Radio broadcasts.

SPEAKER_01 1:26

And so Christmas Day, we're gonna both spend our time with our families, and we have uh are in the process of recording our 2025 top 10 downloads of Hometown Heroes. It'll be a 30-minute show when we get it ready, and it will run in the place of you being here live on Christmas Day. That's right.

SPEAKER_02 1:46

We'll be we'll be broadcasting that program on Thursday, Christmas Day at 10, and we're gonna we're gonna re rebroadcast it Friday morning as well, but we'll start a little bit early.

SPEAKER_01 1:57

Yeah, it'll it'll like to be a 30-minute show then. So we'll start about 8 30. Tyler will be here with you uh on the day after uh, let's see, on that Friday, the day after Christmas, and he'll start that show about 8 30. So uh yeah, we've been looking forward. It's a great show putting it together now, uh going back and and remembering hearing those voices and and the people who shared with us all year long. There's some really outstanding talks in there.

Market Snapshot And Stats

SPEAKER_02 2:25

It's remarkable. You you and I every Friday morning get to hear remarkable stories of people in this community making a difference. Very much. And uh, we're just gonna take a moment to reflect and and think back and remember some of those stories uh next week.

SPEAKER_01 2:42

Yeah, I'm looking forward to that. I really, really am. Looking forward to uh the new year in 2026 in the real estate world. Can you look into your crystal ball for us, Noah? It's gonna be fantastic, right?

SPEAKER_02 2:54

I mean, uh it's incredible. And and guess what? It is what it is. The interest rates are the interest rates, the the market's the market, but we know life happens, therefore real estate happens. And we've been uh so grateful uh to serve so many people in the community. We're we've helped over 1,600 families throughout the years. Uh, this is actually my 20th year of my broker's license, and we we love uh serving the community. We're it's a privilege and honor to help our community with real estate. It's not just uh Henderson County, we serve Western North Carolina and the upstate too. You can find us online at realestatebygreg.com. You can also uh follow us on our podcast. We podcast all of our radio shows and follow us on social media, uh Facebook and Instagram. We'd love to connect with you. But it's a it's uh it's amazing. The real estate market is holding. I mean, the the we've actually had 10% home more homes sell this year, year to date than the same time period last year. Uh so that's remarkable. It is and and the prices are are holding, they're down maybe about two percent, which is still it's it's pretty nominal. I mean, the average single family home price over the last 12 months is in the 540s. So the prices are holding. The thing that you're noticing though is days on markets increasing, and then ultimately uh the the um the the prices are holding. But the inventory levels are still low, less than 600 homes on the market right now. So if you're thinking of buying, selling, or investing in real estate, or even a career in real estate, uh give us a call 828-393-0134.

Meet Hometown Hero Dylan

SPEAKER_01 4:20

Dylan Kleinneck is on the phone with us, and we've been talking uh about Dylan all week. Good morning, Dylan.

SPEAKER_00 4:27

Good morning.

SPEAKER_01 4:28

How are you, sir? I'm doing great.

SPEAKER_00 4:31

How are you?

SPEAKER_01 4:32

Doing fantastic. It's good to chat with you. Uh Dylan uh is uh Noah, a gentleman who uh kind of came upon a situation a few weeks ago at North Henderson High School. And uh Dylan, you uh were able to perform the Heimlich maneuver on someone and uh uh, you know, literally saving their life. Uh would you tell us how that all transpired and what happened?

The Heimlich Moment

SPEAKER_00 5:03

Yeah, so it was around 1:30, getting ready to leave the school, walking out of door buildings, um, entering the the school parking lot, little circle area, and there's a woman in the car, and she's sounds like she's having a pretty hard time. And I I'd I turn around and I'd check up on her and I give her a thumbs up and everything, and she's waving me on over and saying how like she couldn't breathe and tapping her chest. And so I was like, all right, well, I need to I need to do something. I need to help her get whatever's unstuck. So I said, get out of the car, let me perform the Heimlich, and she let me in.

SPEAKER_02 5:39

Remarkable. What was your first thoughts? I mean, you thought she was you were thinking she was you're just giving her the thumbs up, make sure she's okay, but she wasn't.

SPEAKER_00 5:47

Yeah. Fir first thought, I'd I didn't even think that she was like, you know, joking. First thought I'd walk past her car and she seemed fine, and I'd turn around. And she waved me on over.

SPEAKER_02 6:02

Had you ever had a first aid class or training, or did someone ever do you remember knowing the uh or learning about the Heimlich?

SPEAKER_00 6:11

Um, I've never actually been taught it, but I remembered it from movies and being told how to do it, so no kidding.

SPEAKER_01 6:20

So you had to uh do that twice for her, right?

SPEAKER_00 6:24

Yes, sir. Yes, sir.

SPEAKER_01 6:26

And so uh the second time she dislodged you dislodged the object and uh and it allowed her to breathe. I can't I can't imagine. I bet your adrenaline was on a hundred. Oh yeah, it was. Wow. So uh you have uh you've talked to uh tell us about uh after she got her breath, and uh I I can't imagine.

SPEAKER_00 6:51

Uh she got her breath, uh, made sure she was alright, and I walked off and I ended on with my day.

SPEAKER_01 6:59

Really? You you sound very nonchalant about this, Dylan.

Recognition And Video Proof

SPEAKER_02 7:04

And then you you were honored by the Henderson County Sheriff's Office.

SPEAKER_00 7:10

Oh yeah, I didn't think it'd be that big of a deal. I honestly didn't want it to be that big of a deal, but so how did you find out?

SPEAKER_02 7:17

Did they you you did the school call and and acknowledge what had happened? How did did the I assume the person that you helped must have shared the story?

SPEAKER_00 7:28

Well, they they no one really knew until I told my parents, and then uh my dad asked my baseball coach if it was true. And I guess my baseball coach asked uh officer that works at a school officer gang, and he pulled up the clip and showed Coach King and It was on video. Yeah, it was on video.

SPEAKER_01 7:50

No way. Can you send that video to us Dylan?

SPEAKER_00 7:55

Uh I personally don't have it. Oh, okay. Yeah.

SPEAKER_02 8:00

Incredible. But your parents were like very sure. They're double checking on this story.

SPEAKER_00 8:05

Yeah, they're double checking on it. They didn't think I was telling the truth.

SPEAKER_02 8:10

So it's a I mean you truly saved her life. I I I did a to be honest, I did a little bit of research. This is startling. Five thousand plus people a year die of choking. And it's the Heimlich remove uh maneuver that they say saves tens of thousands of lives every year. And it was your quick thinking that saved her life. It's it's it's amazing.

SPEAKER_01 8:37

So uh you as you said, you you've not done the Red Cross training for that or anything, so you you just instinctively knew to kind of ball your fists together, your hands together, and and get under her rib cage? Is that right?

SPEAKER_00 8:52

Pull upward and Yeah, that's basically how I want. Just try to remember what I knew and perform it on her to try to help her.

Sports, Future Plans, Gratitude

SPEAKER_02 9:01

Had you ever had an it's an amazing experience. Had you ever had an emergency experience like that before?

SPEAKER_00 9:07

Nah, never.

SPEAKER_02 9:08

Wow. Well let let's talk uh you're a senior in high school, is that right? At North Henderson.

SPEAKER_00 9:14

Yes, sir.

SPEAKER_02 9:15

And you play and you play sports there? Tell us about your school your school time.

SPEAKER_00 9:20

Yeah, so I played I played football four years, uh run track and play baseball. I try to do both during the springtime. Wow.

SPEAKER_01 9:29

You're a busy guy. Oh, yeah, real busy. What's uh the future, uh college uh for you?

SPEAKER_00 9:38

Yeah, I'm probably gonna go to college and run track. College and run track.

SPEAKER_01 9:43

Well, have you uh have you had contact with this lady uh since that day?

SPEAKER_00 9:50

Um personally not with her, but I talked to her son. Okay at the school.

SPEAKER_01 9:57

Well, Dylan, uh man, I I just gotta hand it to you for uh stepping up, you know?

SPEAKER_02 10:02

And thinking quick.

SPEAKER_01 10:04

Yeah. Just stepping up. Uh it would have been so easy just to throw that thumbs up and walk on, but uh you did.

SPEAKER_00 10:15

Not knowing that she was gonna be alright. Yeah.

SPEAKER_02 10:18

And and not even I mean, and just went on about went uh went on with his day.

SPEAKER_01 10:25

Well, right. Okay.

SPEAKER_00 10:28

Yeah, I I don't need that much recognition. That's amazing.

SPEAKER_02 10:31

Again, it just speaks to your your character and uh just incredible uh courage and selflessness. It's a it's amazing.

SPEAKER_01 10:38

Well we thank you. Thank you so much, Dylan. Uh uh Dylan Kleinack and and uh uh hey, I disagree. I think you do need a uh a hero's pat on the back, and that's why we wanted to chat with you on the show here. And uh just thank you for being who you are. And uh yeah, man, if we can ever help you in any way, you let us know.

SPEAKER_00 11:01

I appreciate it.

SPEAKER_02 11:02

Yeah, powerful story. Thank you for what you did.

SPEAKER_01 11:05

Thanks, Dylan. Of course, thank you. Merry Christmas. Merry Christmas, y'all have a good one. Bye-bye. What about that?

SPEAKER_02 11:12

Amazing.

SPEAKER_01 11:13

It's amazing. And he didn't and he didn't think it was a big deal, he said. Right. He said, No big deal. Well, uh Dylan Kleineck, we salute you and we honor you for being our George Real Estate Group hometown hero this week. And uh it is stories like that that keep us coming back here every Friday morning. If you have a story like that, or you know anyone who does, or uh there's people uh that we need to know about unsung heroes.

SPEAKER_02 11:42

I mean, he he wasn't even he wasn't even gonna if he hadn't told his parents, no one would have known it was him.

Honoring Greg Biffle’s Legacy

SPEAKER_01 11:48

That's exactly right. So let us know. And and because we love to highlight those people. And speaking of uh highlighting those people, the mountains of North Carolina are in mourning today because of that terrible plane crash in Statesville, North Carolina, yesterday that uh took the lives of uh Greg Biffle, retired NASCAR driver, and his family, and some others. Uh there were like a total of seven, I think seven victims of that terrible plane crash. And Greg Biffle uh was a retired NASCAR driver. Uh he was uh an Xfinity series champion, a truck series champion, uh, was nominated in uh uh for induction into the NASCAR Hall of Fame, and uh was also the guy who saw the need after Hurricane Helene and flew many of his own personal helicopter missions, and many of them landed in the gorge in the the uh chimney rock area uh and brought r life-saving they he was delivering insulin and chainsaws and food and formula.

SPEAKER_02 13:01

I mean, uh again with his own resources, I mean, I mean, just uh again, the community, our community, the country's mourning uh uh the tragic loss of him and his family, but uh remarkable human being too. I mean, helping during the hurricane with his helicopter.

SPEAKER_01 13:16

He rallied other helicopter friend owners to come join in this relief supply effort, and they delivered supplies, life-saving supplies from the Chimney Rock Gorge all the way up to Boone and uh up into the high mountains of North Carolina, flew many hundreds of missions, and and so for that uh we are grateful and we are truly honoring a hero today, and that is Greg Biffle. Uh we we are in mourning here in the mountains. So uh we got a couple of minutes left.

Year-End Real Estate Notes

SPEAKER_02 13:52

Uh talk a little real estate. Well, real estate again, we're so thankful to serve the community through real estate. You can find us online at realestate by greg.com. Uh, we we're our office is in Flat Rock, and and you might think things are slow this time of year, but we we're writing contracts. We have closings this month. I mean, the market's still moving. It's a great time, uh, again, if it's right for you. I mean, the market's right uh in the sense that the interest rates are the interest rates inventory levels are low. Buyers are still buying, and again, we're glad to help any way we can. But I'm excited about next week. You and I are gonna have our uh end of year hometown hero uh highlight show and review and and share and remember some amazing stories that we've had this year.

SPEAKER_01 14:35

Yeah, I'm looking forward to it too. Uh the uh uh I was gonna see if I could find my notes over here. Uh I've already, of course, uh, you know, got the the top 10 located, but I I I don't no spoilers. Uh you gotta wait till Christmas Day.

SPEAKER_02 14:53

Tune in. Yep, Christmas morning, uh right after the 10 o'clock hour, and then also Friday morning we'll re-air it as well.

SPEAKER_01 15:00

So uh again, if you know anyone, uh we're we're right back here in the year 2026 with another version. This is multiple years for us.

SPEAKER_02 15:11

I gotta go back and count it. Uh it could be seven plus years. Uh we've been every week. Every week, every Friday morning. I mean, I I love uh look, it's one of the highlights of my week. You and I get to gather around the mic.

How To Listen And Contact

SPEAKER_01 15:23

Well, we'll be back in 2026, and uh we're always scouring and searching for uh Hometown Hero to tell you about on the George Real Estate Group Hometown Hero series. Join us next time. The George Real Estate Group is located in Flat Rock, North Carolina, near Hendersonville in Henderson County. You can find them online at realestatebygreg.com. The George Real Estate Group can be reached at 828-3930134 or stop by their office at 2720 Greenville Highway, Flat Rock, North Carolina. Tune in live each week on Thursdays at 1005 AM on WHKP 107.7 FM and 1450 AM, or stream online at WHKP.com or download these podcasts wherever you get your podcasts. The George Real Estate Group brings you the WHKP Hometown Hero Series every Friday morning at 845.

SPEAKER_02 16:26

You've built a lifetime of strength, wisdom, and independence. And here's the best part: you still have it. Every decision, every step, every next chapter is yours to choose. Selling your home isn't about letting go, it's about opening the door to more freedom, more time for what you love, more energy for the people and passions that matter most. At the George Real Estate Group, we believe independence isn't behind you. It's right here, right now. Our team goes beyond buying and selling. We're here to help you protect your wealth, preserve your legacy, and make sure Uncle Sam doesn't become your biggest benefactor. We'll guide you every step of the way towards your next chapter, your next opportunity, and your freedom on your terms. Call us at 828 393 0134. Find us online at realestatebygreg.com.