LAS VEGAS (KTNV) — An NFL coach is being hailed as a hero for helping save a child who nearly drowned at the Encore.
According to ESPN, Los Angeles Rams defensive coordinator Raheem Morris and his family were at the Encore last weekend. That's when the family said a three-year-old boy was taken out of the pool by his father with no pulse.
"I saw people calling 911 so my first question was where is the AED," Morris told ESPN on Wednesday.
Morris said he got an AED and when he returned, a doctor on-site had started compressions on the child. He added the Rams' recent first aid training helped him know what to do.
Morris' wife Nicole posted on Instagram saying the boy was discharged from the hospital 24 hours after the incident.
June 1 through June 7 is National CPR and AED Awareness Week.
RELATED LINK: Health officials urge the public to learn CPR, sign up for training
The NFL has been promoting AED/CPR training and awareness even more after Buffalo Bills' player Damar Hamlin's sudden cardiac arrest during Monday Night Football back in January. Medical personnel on the field were able to get to Hamlin immediately. Between the medical staff at the field and the medical staff at a nearby hospital, Hamlin's life was saved and since then, he has partnered with the American Heart Association to raise awareness.
Multiple teams, including the Seattle Seahawks and the Carolina Panthers, are certifying nearly 100% of their office staff in both CPR and AED training.
On Thursday, the NFL also announced it has expanded The Smart Heart Sports Coalition to 26 member organizations. It was launched in March 2023 in response to the Hamlin incident. According to the league, the coalition is "advocating for all 50 states to adopt evidence-based policies that will prevent fatal outcomes from Sudden Cardiac Arrest among high school students."
Organizations that have joined the coalition include leagues like the Women's National Basketball Association and National Women's Soccer League as well as organizations like the American College of Cardiology and the National Council of Youth Sports.
The NFL said this month, they've partnered with the American Red Cross to offer hands-only CPR education and certification opportunities across all league offices. The NFL Foundation is also launching a CPR Education Grant later this month to provide $20,000 in funding to all 32 NFL clubs for CPR and AED education and equipment.
