Ex-NFL RB Peyton Hillis Details Near-Death Experience of Water Rescue

Former NFL running back Peyton Hillis was hospitalized for more than two weeks after he saved his son and niece from drowning when they were caught in a rip current in Pensacola, Fla., in January. For the first time since the harrowing rescue, Hillis sat down for an interview and discussed what happened. 

“It is 100% a miracle that somebody didn’t die,” he told Michael Strahan of Good Morning America. “It’s just amazing we weren’t burying somebody.” 

Hillis, 37, recounts taking his family to the beach the day after a storm but that conditions looked completely normal with no flags warning of a dangerous current in sight. At some point, Hillis was alerted by his mother that the children were drowning and he immediately jumped in the water to get them with no lifeguards in the area.

He went on to say the “scariest” point was when he had to pass his nine-year-old son, Orry, to get to his 8-year-old niece, Camille, who was in more danger. Once his niece was safe, he went back for his son, who had gone “limp” from exhaustion. He was able to get to a point where he could begin to walk his son to the beach, but Hillis said he passed out about 20 to 30 yards from the shore and a video shows emergency medical technicians doing life-saving treatment on both him and his sister, who helped in the rescue effort. 

Hillis was airlifted to the hospital and placed on a ventilator while dealing with kidney issues. He regained consciousness after 10 days and then spent two weeks recovering in the intensive care unit. 

He explained that he is still recovering, both physically and mentally, but is taking it one day at a time. 

“Makes you realize what’s really important,” Hillis said. “If you’re not here for your loved ones, your family, your friends, why are you here?”