LITTLE ROCK (KATV) — Former Arkansas Razorback and NFL football player shared his story on how he saved his 9-year-old son and 8-year-old niece from drowning in Pensacola, Florida.
In an interview with “Good Morning America” co-anchor Michael Strahan, Peyton Hillis recounts his experience.
Peyton Hillis’s son and niece were caught in a rip current, and he spotted them from the shore waving their hands.
Hillis had to make the decision on who to save first, ultimately choosing to save his niece first, then his son.
“I think the scariest point to me was when I was swimming to my son, and then I have to pass by him because my niece is in more danger,” said Hillis.
After finally making it back to where he could walk to the beach, Hillis said he passed out.
Hillis had to be airlifted to Pensacola Baptist Hospital due to him going through kidney and lung failure and having to be placed on a ventilator.
In January, Hillis finally came off of the ventilator and was on the road to recovery after being sedated for ten days.
“When I was under, I remembered I could hear everything perfectly clear, but they didn’t know that I could,” said Hillis. “I don’t know it was like day nine or ten into it, and I overheard them saying, ‘you know if he don’t wake up here soon, you know I don’t know what is going to happen.'”
Hillis said he was internally freaking out as he was under sedation, but he could not move.
Hillis explained what he recalled after waking up for the first time after ten days.
“First thing I remember is my mom, my daughter, and my sister standing around me, and to their credit, they all acted like everything was normal, you know, everything was fine, which calmed me down,” said Hillis.
He also said he was amazed that he could not move his body when he woke up.
The doctors told Hillis he would not make a full recovery for about a year.
“I don’t think my lungs will ever get back they needed to be,” said Hillis. “Physically, it’s coming along okay, you know, mentally things with my head stuff like that is coming along a lot slower.”
Hillis said that this experience makes you realize what is really important.
“If you’re not hear for your loved ones, your family, your friends, why are you here?” Hillis said.
Hillis has been called a hero by others for him saving the lives of his son and niece, but he said he just calls himself a dad.
Strahan asked Hillis what he would call himself if he did not call himself a hero.
Hillis responded, “I call myself a dad.”