LSU redshirt sophomore safety Tamarcus Cooley has been on the receiving end of kudos after a recent kind act of his went public. Cooley, a transfer from North Carolina State, was on his way home from practice when he pulled over on the side of the road after he saw a stranded family with a flat tire.
"I was able to make it on to the shoulder, but it still wasn't the safest spot," Cayla Abad, the mother Cooley assisted, explained. "Cars were speeding by us too close for comfort. I was struggling when Tamarcus stopped and asked if he could help."
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Cooley provided the main reason why he stopped.
"[He] was on the phone with his mom when he saw me," Abad posted. "He said one of the reasons he stopped was because he would want someone to stop and help if it was her on the side of the road.
"That statement melted my heart."
The mother said it was extremely hot outside at the time, and she had so much trouble getting the lug nuts off her wheel, she thought they were "welded in place."
"He had so many reasons to keep driving past us," Abad posted. "...Despite all of that, he changed the tire and refused to accept any money from me."
Cooley began his career at Maryland as a true freshman in 2023 before spending his redshirt freshman season at NC State in 2024. He appeared in all 13 games for the Wolfpack last season, and finished the year with 39 tackles, 3 interceptions and 2 forced fumbles. His older brother Trey Cooley is a running back for Troy.
Cooley took selfies with Abad and two children who were on the scene. He also waited until they could safely drive back into traffic before leaving himself.
"I know, as moms, we worry about our kids' safety all the time," Abad posted. "I am sure Tamarcus' mom worries about him constantly with him being so far from home ... one of my biggest aspirations in life is to raise kind, thoughtful humans ... [Cooley's] parents raised the kind of man we aspire to raise out boys to be. Thank you again, Tamarcus!"
Amazing work @tcoo1ey 💜 pic.twitter.com/Rqx4yfOtfL
— LSU Football (@LSUfootball) August 15, 2025
