Cameras caught the moment when LeBron James met the woman who saved his son’s life.
In the summer of 2023, Bronny James went into cardiac arrest during a workout at USC with several of his teammates.
James recovered fully, and after playing one season in southern California, he was drafted by his father’s Los Angeles Lakers over the summer.
Lebron introduced Erin, the woman who performed CPR on Bronny, to Lebron’s mother, who thanked Erin.
“Lifesaver, literally,” James told Erin.
“Shout out to the man above, one. To the whole coaching staff, training staff, members of that program. They are the reason Bronny is alive now and smiling and thriving and doing what any 19-year-old should be doing, and that’s living out their dream,” James said on camera as part of Netflix’s “Starting 5” series.
“Bronny is the first person in my family to go to college. … And to see my son playing the game that he loves at the collegiate level, but to see where he is as a young man, you’re like, ‘Wow, it could have been, you know, so much worse for our family.’”
Bronny James Jr. of the Los Angeles Lakers against the Sacramento Kings during the first half of a 2024 California Classic summer league game at Chase Center July 6, 2024, in San Francisco. (Thearon W. Henderson/Getty Images)
James hinted that all Bronny cared about was when he would be able to return to the floor.
“It’s crazy with kids. Like, when they love and want something, that’s all that matters to them. As a parent, you’re like, you know, ‘You had a cardiac arrest.’ That’s, like, in his mind, he’s like, ‘Can I or can I not play ball again? And if the answer is yes, when can I play ball again?’ I love that,” James said.
Lebron and Bronny shared the court Monday night in a preseason game, marking the first time a father-son duo have not only played in the NBA at the same time, but have been teammates. They played about four minutes together in the second quarter.
“It’s pretty cool for the both of us, and especially for our family,” LeBron said. “It’s definitely a moment that I will never forget.”
LeBron James (23) and Bronny James (9) of the Los Angeles Lakers during a game against the Phoenix Suns Oct. 6, 2024, at Acrisure Arena in Palm Springs, Calif. (Adam Pantozzi/NBAE via Getty Images)
Had things been worse, LeBron’s career-long dream may never have come true.
It remains to be seen where the younger James will begin the 2024-25 regular season, but Monday night seemed like a sign of things to come.
