Ex-NFL star Peyton Hillis admits it’s ‘100% miracle someone didn’t die’ as he saved his son, 9, and niece, 8, from drowning on a Florida beach as he speaks out for the first time
Former NFL running back Peyton Hillis has admitted it’s “100 percent a miracle someone didn’t die” five months after saving his son and niece from drowning in Florida.
Hillis and his family were swimming on Penascola Beach when his son and niece, who are nine and eight years old respectively, got caught in a dangerous rapid.
Hillis ran into the water to save the children – and succeeded – but ended up in intensive care herself due to lung and kidney failure.
He spent 10 days sedated on a ventilator before regaining consciousness.
Peyton Hillis spoke to ABC News about the harrowing incident that happened in January
Hillis saved his son Orry (and niece Camille, not pictured) but then developed health problems of his own
Hillis required medical attention after rescuing the children and was airlifted to a hospital
‘It’s 100% a miracle that someone didn’t die,’ Hillis told ‘Good morning America‘.
Hillis, age 37, admitted he had to make a poignant decision to save his niece first.
“I think the scariest part was when I was swimming towards my son and I had to pass him because my niece is in more danger,” he said.
“I knew I had to pass him to get to Camille first. Because you know, if I hadn’t, she never would have made it.’
Hillis said that although there was a “severe storm” the night before the incident, “no flags” were used to warn beachgoers of potentially hazardous conditions.
And Davis Wood, the public information and education officer for the Escambia Country Board of County Commissioners, told ABC News the closest flag that day was “a mile away.”
Still Wood warned that the flags Hillis referred to were “surf warning flags” and said their absence “does not guarantee water safety.”
Hillis played seven NFL seasons with the Broncos, Browns, Chiefs and Giants.