Off-Duty Fireman Hailed for Saving Basketball Player

What began as an ordinary Sunday night basketball game quickly turned into a life-or-death situation when 20-year-old Wayne Lawrence collapsed on the court.

Thanks to the quick thinking of an off-duty firefighter, the young player is alive today. The incident occurred at the Montego Bay Cricket Club in St James during a group stage game in the Arise Basketball League. Lawrence’s team, All Tour, was playing against the Granville Jaguars when, during the third quarter, Lawrence jumped to catch the ball, collided with an opponent, and fell hard, hitting his head on the court. He began having what appeared to be a seizure—his fourth this year. As the crowd panicked, 33-year-old firefighter Mikhail Smith, who was watching the game, sprang into action. He rushed to Lawrence’s side, quickly assessing the severity of the situation.

“I noticed he was not moving, not responsive to anything at all, so I immediately went to him and started assessing him. As I was about to check his pulse, he started to have a seizure again and was fighting for air,” explained Smith. He immediately cleared Lawrence’s airway to help him breathe easier and then placed him in a recovery position by gently turning him onto his left side.

To keep Lawrence conscious and responsive, Smith, an experienced firefighter of 13 years, rubbed the center of his chest over the sternum and asked him questions. At first, Lawrence could only respond by nodding, but as Smith continued his care, Lawrence slowly regained the ability to speak. When Lawrence showed signs of improvement, Smith and another bystander, Lemar Mitchell, rushed him to the Cornwall Regional Hospital. There, Lawrence underwent an ECG, which showed that his heart was beating faster than it should. He is awaiting the results of a CT scan to understand what may be causing his seizures.

“Firefighters don’t just fight fires; we’re all trained in first aid and able to help in situations like these,” said Smith, who works at the Barnett Street Fire Station in St James.

“This is something that we train for on a day-to-day basis, so I just stepped in and did what I had to do. I’m just happy that he’s okay,” he said, adding that he doesn’t consider himself a hero and was just doing his duty.

However, to the many onlookers and to Lawrence, Smith is undoubtedly a hero for his quick thinking, calmness under pressure, and willingness to go above and beyond.

“After getting the hit, I was unconscious. I don’t know what he did, but he did something, and I’m just glad that I’m still here and he was there,” Lawrence said. “I cannot thank him enough; I’m so grateful.”

Lawrence plans to join the police force so he can also play a role in helping others.