Rams special teams coach helps save swimmer's life while on vacation

St. Louis Rams special teams coordinator John Fassel helped rescue a drowning man from the Pacific Ocean last week while vacationing in California.

While boogie-boarding in Manhattan Beach, Fassel and another surfer, Jim Burton, noticed the man who appeared to be drowning before racing over and successfully pulling him onto a surfboard.

"He was totally unresponsive when we got to him," Fassel told ESPN's Adam Schefter.

Manhattan Beach lifeguards then arrived on scene to help Fassel and Burton, who didn't know each other prior to the event, and the group pulled the man to shore, where paramedics were waiting.

Fassel still doesn't know the man's name, but, according to Manhattan Beach acting battalion chief Derek Edmonds, he was taken to hospital and was in stable condition.

"Me and Jim said he was less than 30 seconds away from not being able to hang in there," Fassel said. "But it all happened so fast. Major kudos to Burton, the Manhattan Beach lifeguards and fire department paramedics. It was seriously amazing how fast they got on the scene. When we got him in, and he had the help he needed, we were high-fiving and celebrating."