Understandably, LeBron and Savannah James get emotional thinking about their son Bronny’s health scare. In Netflix’s new docuseries, “Starting 5,” the NBA champion and his wife reflect on the moment their son went into cardiac arrest during a University of Southern California basketball practice.
“I think at the end of the day, it was just about us supporting each other and just being super grateful for the outcome,” says Savannah in the show’s premiere episode.
As previously reported by theGrio, the James’ eldest son was hospitalized in July 2023 after the cardiac incident. Though he was ultimately diagnosed with a treatable congenital heart defect which can affect the structure and function of the heart, Bronny’s health scare left an impact on his family.
“Shout out to the man above,” LeBron added. “And to the whole coaching staff, training staff, members of that program.”
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The docuseries subsequently shows the Lakers star and his mother, Gloria James, visiting the USC facility that first treated Bronny. After meeting the university staff who helped his son, James was particularly moved to meet the first responder who gave his son CPR — Erin.
Calling her a “lifesaver,” the NBA champion explained that Erin and the medical staff 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.”
Since then, Bronny has joined his father on the Los Angeles Lakers, making them the first father and son to play on any NBA team together. While he has dreamed of this moment since his son started high school, LeBron admitted that Bronny’s heart condition changed his perspective.
“You’re like, wow, it could have been, you know, so much more worse for our family,” he said, reflecting on the situation.
Through it all, James explained that his son’s main priority was returning to the court.
“It’s crazy with kids, when they love something and they want something,” he added. “That’s all that matters to them. As a parent, you’re like, ‘You had a cardiac arrest, like…,’ and in [Bronny’s] 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?’”
Admiring his son’s dedication to the sport, James says he loves seeing his son fall in love with the same game he loves and, most importantly, seeing “where [Bronny] is as a young man.”
“It’s pretty cool for the both of us and especially for our family. It’s definitely a moment that I will never forget” LeBron said about his son joining the Lakers, per theGrio. “For a father, it means everything. For someone who didn’t have that growing up, to be able to have that influence on your kids and have that influence on your son, be able to have moments with your son — and the ultimate, to be able to work with your son — that’s one of the greatest things that a father could ever hope for or wish for.”
