Football captain Josh Shaw of the University of Southern California Trojans will be unable to play for a while after he sprained both his ankles while rescuing his drowning nephew, AL.com reports.
Shaw, who is a defensive back, was at a family event over the weekend in California when he saw his 7-year-old nephew, Carter, in the swimming pool in obvious distress. Shaw jumped from the second-floor balcony of the building, injuring both his ankles from the impact of hitting the concrete below him, AL.com notes.
"I would do it again for whatever kid it was; it did not have to be my nephew," Shaw said, recalling the incident on Monday.
He said that little Carter was "traumatized" but physically in good shape. "My ankles really hurt, but I am lucky to be surrounded by the best trainers and doctors in the world. I am taking my rehab one day at a time, and I hope to be back on the field as soon as possible," the brave senior added.
Shaw's head coach, Steve Sarkisian, called him a hero, saying that he will be missed this upcoming season. "That was a heroic act by Josh, putting his personal safety aside," Sarkisian said. "But that's the kind of person he is. It is unfortunate that he'll be sidelined for a while, and we will miss his leadership and play, but I know he'll be working hard to get back on the field as soon as possible."
Read more at AL.com.