10/02/2025
While attending an Ohio State football game with more than 104,000 fans in attendance, Bon Secours ICU Nurse, Colby Morris, was enjoying a reunion with his college buddies when his critical care instincts were suddenly called into action. Amid the roar of the crowd and the chaos of game day, he noticed a man lying unresponsive in a breezeway. Without hesitation, Colby rushed to assess the situation. He immediately noted the unmistakable signs of a medical emergency—the man had no pulse strongly suggesting a cardiac arrest.
Colby immediately began CPR, initiating life-saving measures right there in the middle of one of the largest crowds imaginable. The crowd noise was deafening as Ohio State was driving down the field—Colby found himself yelling for help over the roar of tens of thousands. Thankfully, there were American Red Cross volunteers nearby who quickly responded, securing an AED and joining efforts to support the resuscitation. Even over the noise and confusion, Colby took charge of the scene. He directed his friends to help secure a perimeter to give the man space, had a volunteer radio for paramedics, and continued CPR tirelessly.
Because the crowd was so loud, Colby couldn’t hear the AED prompts—a volunteer actually had to place her ear to the device to listen to the instructions, ultimately alerting Colby that a shock was imminent. The man was shocked twice and, with continued CPR, regained a pulse after the second shock. Colby has since spoken with the man he saved, who is now recovering. The patient joked with Colby, saying, “The cardiologist told me the broken ribs were from good CPR—so I guess, thanks, man.”
Colby not only saved a life but also modeled exactly what it means to be a nurse, whether in the ICU or in the middle of a stadium with 100,000 people. I shared with Colby that this reminds us that nursing doesn’t stop when the shift ends—it’s a calling, and Colby answered it in the most incredible way.
