Reports: Former Cleveland Browns RB Peyton Hillis in critical condition after saving his kids from drowning
CLEVELAND, Ohio (WOIO) - Former Cleveland Browns RB Peyton Hillis was hospitalized Thursday and is in critical condition, according to multiple reports from Yahoo and USA Today.
Hillis, who played in Cleveland in 2010 and 2011, saved his kids from drowning in the ocean prior to being hospitalized on Jan. 5, the reports indicate.
Officials have not indicated any updates on the 36-year-old’s condition following his hospitalization.
A family member said Hillis is “doing better” following the incident in a Facebook post.
Hillis accumulated 1,764 yards on the ground and 607 receiving yards, with 14 rushing touchdowns and 2 receiving touchdowns in his two seasons with the Browns.
19 News has reached out to the Cleveland Browns for comment.
Former NFL running back Peyton Hillis taken off ventilator, recovering after swimming accident
Former NFL running back Peyton Hillis is on the road to recovery following a swimming accident last week. On Wednesday, Hillis was taken off a ventilator and making positive strides, according to his girlfriend Angela Cole.
Cole shared the positive update on her Instagram account and expressed gratitude for the love and support the family has received.
"Peyton is off the ventilator and is on the road to recovery," Cole wrote. "Please continue to pray for he’s still got a ways ahead of him, but thank you for all of your prayers and love and support thus far. It truly makes all the difference."
Hillis, 36, was hospitalized and listed in critical condition after rescuing his children from drowning off the coast of Pensacola, Florida. He was hospitalized and listed in critical condition. KNWA Fox 24 reporter Alyssa Orange also reported Hillis was in intensive care.
Former athletes and the sports community offered support for Hillis. ESPN analyst Robert Griffin III was encouraged by the latest update and called Hillis a superhero for his efforts in saving his family.
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"Peyton Hillis is a dang Super Hero," Griffin wrote in a tweet. "He saved his kids from drowning in the ocean while putting his own life in danger for the sake of his family. Glad to hear he is on the road to recovery after being in critical condition."
Cole echoed a similar sentiment in her Instagram post.
"A hero. So proud of this man and so incredibly grateful for family and this incredible hospital," Cole wrote.
She concluded, "Today was a good day."
Hillis played collegiately at Arkansas. He was selected in the seventh round of the 2008 NFL Draft by the Denver Broncos. He recorded 2,832 rushing yards and 26 touchdowns during his seven-year career, which also included stints with the Broncos, Cleveland Browns, Kansas City Chiefs and New York Giants.
During the 2010 season, Hillis experienced a breakout year with the Browns. He rushed for 1,177 yards and 11 touchdowns. He added 61 receptions for 477 yards and two scores. Hillis later landed the cover of the "Madden 12" video game.
Peyton Hillis: “It is 100 percent a miracle” no one died in swimming accident
In early January, former NFL running back Peyton Hillis saved his son and niece from a rip current at a Florida beach.
Hillis, speaking to Michael Strahan of Good Morning America, said “it is 100 percent a miracle that someone didn’t die” in the swimming accident.
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Hillis, who had a 1,117-yard rushing season for the Browns in 2010 and landed on the cover of the Madden game, said that the “scariest point” in the rescue happened “when I’m swimming to my son and I have to pass by him because my niece is in more danger.”
He said that he knew he had “to pass him up to get to Camille first . . . because, you know, if I didn’t then there’s no way she would’ve made it.”
Hillis, 37, got back to the shore with his son and niece, but then Hillis lost consciousness and experienced lung and kidney failure. He was airlifted to a hospital and placed on a ventilator.
Roughly 10 days later, he regained consciousness. He then spent two weeks in the intensive care unit.
Man, my wife and I almost drowned today, and I’m scrolling cause I can’t sleep and I see this. Miracles for sure. Damn
How?
We went to a local lake, lost track of our surroundings and didn’t realize we drifted further away and I freaked out and started drowning. I inadvertently was making my wife drown as well, fortunately we yelled out and people rushed to save us. Happened so fast
Joined: 10 Dec 2006 Posts: 52624 Location: Making a safety stop at 15 feet.
Posted: Tue Jun 20, 2023 2:33 pm Post subject:
Robblake wrote:
CandyCanes wrote:
Robblake wrote:
Man, my wife and I almost drowned today, and I’m scrolling cause I can’t sleep and I see this. Miracles for sure. Damn
How?
We went to a local lake, lost track of our surroundings and didn’t realize we drifted further away and I freaked out and started drowning. I inadvertently was making my wife drown as well, fortunately we yelled out and people rushed to save us. Happened so fast
Panic is a dangerous thing in those situations. It’s understandable when you feel you’re in trouble and can’t help yourself, so it’s all too common that people in that situation take others down as well. It must have been scary. Glad you are both OK. _________________ You thought God was an architect, now you know
He’s something like a pipe bomb ready to blow
And everything you built that’s all for show
goes up in flames
In 24 frames
Man, my wife and I almost drowned today, and I’m scrolling cause I can’t sleep and I see this. Miracles for sure. Damn
How?
We went to a local lake, lost track of our surroundings and didn’t realize we drifted further away and I freaked out and started drowning. I inadvertently was making my wife drown as well, fortunately we yelled out and people rushed to save us. Happened so fast
Panic is a dangerous thing in those situations. It’s understandable when you feel you’re in trouble and can’t help yourself, so it’s all too common that people in that situation take others down as well. It must have been scary. Glad you are both OK.
Thank you for the kind words it’s very therapeutic for me to share as it was a very traumatic experience for us. But glad to be alive and shoot the breeze about sports still.
Joined: 24 Dec 2007 Posts: 35750 Location: Santa Clarita, CA (Hell) ->>>>>Ithaca, NY -≥≥≥≥≥Berkeley, CA
Posted: Tue Jun 20, 2023 9:35 pm Post subject:
Robblake wrote:
DaMuleRules wrote:
Robblake wrote:
CandyCanes wrote:
Robblake wrote:
Man, my wife and I almost drowned today, and I’m scrolling cause I can’t sleep and I see this. Miracles for sure. Damn
How?
We went to a local lake, lost track of our surroundings and didn’t realize we drifted further away and I freaked out and started drowning. I inadvertently was making my wife drown as well, fortunately we yelled out and people rushed to save us. Happened so fast
Panic is a dangerous thing in those situations. It’s understandable when you feel you’re in trouble and can’t help yourself, so it’s all too common that people in that situation take others down as well. It must have been scary. Glad you are both OK.
Thank you for the kind words it’s very therapeutic for me to share as it was a very traumatic experience for us. But glad to be alive and shoot the breeze about sports still.
Was the current pulling you under or were you just caught off guard and didn’t remember how to swim in the panic? How did the people manage to get you out? _________________ Damian Lillard shatters Dwight Coward's championship dreams:
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