Rams' Raheem Morris Helps Save Boy, 3, from Drowning in Las Vegas Pool: 'Thankful I Knew What to Do'

Marisa Sullivan
·2 min read
1

The defensive coordinator helped save a 3-year-old boy at a Las Vegas pool after he stopped breathing

<p>Jordon Kelly/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images</p> Raheem Morris

Jordon Kelly/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images

Raheem Morris

Los Angeles Rams coach Raheem Morris is crediting his team for his heroic know-how in a life-saving emergency.

The defensive coordinator helped save a 3-year-old boy at a Las Vegas pool after he stopped breathing, according to ESPN.

Using protocols learned with the NFL, such as knowing the importance of an automatic external defibrillator (AED), Morris was able to retrieve the apparatus and have it ready to assist a doctor on-site to revive the child.

"I saw people calling 911 so my first question was, where is the AED?" Morris, 46, told ESPN on Wednesday.

Never miss a story — sign up for PEOPLE's free daily newsletter to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.

<p>Alisha Jucevic for The Washington Post via Getty Images</p> Raheem Morris

Alisha Jucevic for The Washington Post via Getty Images

Raheem Morris

Related: Peyton Hillis Taken Off Ventilator and &#39;On the Road to Recovery&#39; After Saving His Kids from Drowning

He added, "When I got back, 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 okay."

Morris and his family learned that after the child was taken to a nearby hospital, he was released to go home 24 hours later.

“I’m just thankful I knew what to do,” Morris added in his conversation with ESPN. “You just never know when you’re going to need that stuff.”

The husband and father, who was vacationing with his wife Nicole and their three kids, also spoke of "the awareness and preparedness" that Buffalo Bills safety Damar Hamlin has brought to the masses after his heart stopped following a collapse mid-game on the field in January. (Hamlin, 25, has since been open about his ongoing recovery.)

<p>Scott Taetsch/Getty Images</p> Raheem Morris

Scott Taetsch/Getty Images

Raheem Morris

Related: Damar Hamlin Hugs the First Responders Who Saved His Life at NFL Honors: &#39;The Journey Will Continue&#39;

The NFL has continued ramping up its safety education ever since, with Morris highlighting the first aid training he's received on CPR and AED by Reggie Scott, the team's vice president of sports medicine and performance.

Rams COO Kevin Demoff was quick to highlight Morris' "quick thinking" in a Twitter post on Wednesday.

"An amazing story of quick thinking in the moment by Raheem Morris & grateful to Reggie Scott for training our staff on CPR & AED," he wrote. "Very possibly seeing the life-saving CPR Damar Hamlin received inspired our organization to get trained & saved another life."

Concluded Demoff, "CPR & AEDs save lives."

For more People news, make sure to sign up for our newsletter!

Read the original article on People.