Former Arkansas Razorbacks and NFL running back Peyton Hillis has been taken off his ventilator, his girlfriend Angela Cole announced on social media on Thursday. She explained that while he is well on the road to recovery, “he’s still got a ways ahead of him.”
Hillis has been hospitalized since January 4, when he was in critical condition after being injured while attempting to rescue a family member in a near-drowning incident off the coast of Pensacola, Florida.
Escambia County emergency services, which was involved in the rescue, noted that there were four people—two adults and two children—who were struggling to stay afloat in the water when a bystander attempted to help them out. After paramedics arrived on the scene, both adults were transported to the hospital, with one being taken by helicopter. The authorities declined to divulge the identities of the individuals involved.
Greg Hillis, who identified himself as the retired football player’s uncle, stated that his nephew had suffered issues with his kidneys and lungs.
After playing college football in Arkansas, Hillis represented the Denver Broncos, Cleveland Browns, Kansas City Chiefs, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, and New York Giants during his NFL career.
