Get All Access for $5/mo

An NFL Coach Saved a 3-Year-Old Boy From Drowning in a Hotel Pool. 'I'm Thankful I Knew What To Do.' Los Angeles Rams defensive coordinator Raheem Morris was at the right place at the right time — with the right knowledge.

By Jonathan Small

Raheem Morris, a defensive coordinator for the NFL Los Angeles Rams, has run many clutch plays in his career — but this has to be the best ever. Over the weekend, the football coach helped save a drowning child's life at a hotel swimming pool.

The incident took place at the Encore Resort in Las Vegas, where Morris was spending time with his family. According to reports, a drowning 3-year-old boy was pulled from the pool by his father and rushed to a lifeguard. The lifeguard began to perform CPR after it was discovered the boy had no pulse.

Thinking fast, Morris sprung to action and ran over to the scene.

"I saw people calling 911 so my first question was, where is the AED?" Morris told ESPN. An AED is an automatic external defibrillator, which is used to deliver an electrical shock, or defibrillation, to help the heart re-establish an effective rhythm.

Morris was able to locate a device and raced it over to the struggling boy.

"We had a doctor on site that was able to start the compressions. I was able to hand the AED to him, get it open for him, put the pads on the child, and he ended up being OK," Morris said.

Morris's wife Nicole wrote about the harrowing ordeal in an Instagram post, saying that the child was discharged from the hospital 24 hours later.

Related: NFL Player Says He Lived In the Stadium for Two Years To Save Money

AED training

Morris was quick to give credit to the recent CPR and AED training offered by the Rams. NFL teams have been ramping up efforts like this ever since Buffalo Bills safety Damar Hamlin suffered a heart attack during an NFL game in January. Thankfully, medical professionals on the scene were able to act quickly and use an AED to restart Hamlin's heart.

Hamlin himself was on Capitol Hill in March advocating for a new bipartisan legislation called "Access to AEDs Act." The bill increase the training and availability of AEDs on school campuses.

Morris told ESPN how the Hamlin incident and the recent tragic drowning of Tampa Bay Buccaneers linebacker Shaquil Barrett's 2-year-old daughter, has helped him be more aware of how important it is to be prepared for moments like these.

"I'm just thankful I knew what to do," Raheem Morris said. "You just never know when you're going to need that stuff."

Jonathan Small

Entrepreneur Staff

Founder, Strike Fire Productions

Jonathan Small is a bestselling author, journalist, producer, and podcast host. For 25 years, he has worked as a sought-after storyteller for top media companies such as The New York Times, Hearst, Entrepreneur, and Condé Nast. He has held executive roles at Glamour, Fitness, and Entrepreneur and regularly contributes to The New York Times, TV Guide, Cosmo, Details, Maxim, and Good Housekeeping. He is the former “Jake” advice columnist for Glamour magazine and the “Guy Guru” at Cosmo.

Want to be an Entrepreneur Leadership Network contributor? Apply now to join.

Business News

I Tried Buying a Car on Amazon. Here Are the Pros and Cons.

Amazon Autos just launched, and users can buy a new car online. Here's how it works and what needs to improve.

Business Ideas

63 Small Business Ideas to Start in 2024

We put together a list of the best, most profitable small business ideas for entrepreneurs to pursue in 2024.

Business News

Alexis Ohanian Says This Is His Best Investment So Far: $10,000 Turned Into More Than $17 Million

Ohanian has backed 40 unicorns, but one investment stands out the most.

Starting a Business

Nearly 50% of America's Workforce Has a Secondary Source of Income or Side Hustle. Here Are 7 Steps You Should Take to Create Lasting Value for Yours.

Today's entrepreneurs have the opportunity to generate long-lasting supplementary income if they take these steps.

Business News

Barbara Corcoran Says the Best Entrepreneurs Are Good at This One Thing

Real estate entrepreneur and investor Barbara Corcoran says a few key traits prove effective when starting a business. Here's her top pick.