Peyton Hillis admits it's 'a miracle' no one died in drowning incident

Former NFL running back Peyton Hillis has admitted it’s ‘100 percent a miracle somebody didn’t die’ five months after he saved his son and niece from drowning in .Hillis and his family were swimming on a Penascola beach when his son and niece, who are nine and eight years old respectively, got caught in a dangerous riptide.Hillis ran into the water to save the children — and managed to do so — but wound up in intensive care himself for lung and kidney failure.
He spent 10 days sedated on a ventilator before regaining consciousness.  ‘It is 100 percent a miracle that somebody didn’t die,’ Hillis told ». Peyton Hillis spoke to ABC News about the harrowing incident which happened in January Hillis saved his son Orry (and niece Camille, penipu not pictured) but had health issues himself after Hillis required medical attention after saving the children and was airlifted to a hospitalHillis, 37, admitted he had to make a harrowing decision to save his niece first. ‘I think the scariest point was when I’m swimming to my son and I have to pass by him because my niece is in more danger,’ he continued. ‘I knew that I 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.’The former running back said his son was ‘pretty much limp’ by the time he got to him.’He didn’t have any more strength in him to swim and I’m sitting there holding him,’ he said.

‘You can’t swim and you’re holding him, you’re seeing his eyes roll back in the back of his head.’Lord, please. Like, I really don’t care about my life,’ he remembers thinking. ‘I don’t. But if we can get him out of here that’s the only thing I’m going to care about.’Hillis said while there was a ‘bad storm’ the night prior to the incident, there were ‘no flags’ used to warn beachgoers of potential hazardous conditions.And Davis Wood, the public information and education officer of the Escambia Country Board of County Commissioners, told ABC News that the nearest flag that day was ‘a mile away.’ Hillis is seen with his family in the hospital after recovering from lung and kidney issues Hillis’ children are seen with his now-ex-wife, Amanda, during his short tenure in Kansas CityStill Wood cautioned that the flags Hillis was referring to were ‘surf warning flags’ and said that their absence ‘does not assure water safety.’The 2008 seventh-round pick was confronted with that fact when he saw his son and niece waving their hands and screaming in the water.’I hear my mom screaming and so, I looked at her and she pointed out to my son, and she says, «Orry and Camille are drowning,»‘ said Hillis.’And so, I didn’t even think, I reacted and started running into the water.’At the time of the incident in January, Hillis received well wishes online from the NFL community.Chris Ogbonnaya, another former Browns running back, asked fans on Twitter to pray for his old teammate: ‘Please keep former teammate Peyton Hillis in your thoughts and prayers.’ Former Cleveland Browns running back Chris Ogbonnaya called for fans to pray for Hillis  Hillis’s spectacular 2010 season led to fans voting him onto the cover of EA Sports’ Madden 12Former NFL safety Antoine Bethea had a similar post: ‘Prayers for Peyton Hillis!!’Many online reactions praised Hillis as a good father and likeable man. One podcaster was particularly fond of his times with Hillis.’Peyton Hillis is a super good dude,’ tweeted a podcaster known as Sir Yacht.

‘An absolute goofball and I mean that in the best way possible. He is a hero for saving his kids from drowning today. I’m praying hard for him and I hope he has a safe and fast recovery.’Hillis played seven NFL seasons with the Broncos, Browns, Chiefs and Giants.He’s best known for his 2010 season with Cleveland, where he put up 1,600 total yards and 13 total touchdowns.