Former Cleveland Browns star Peyton Hillis has been rushed to hospital in critical condition after he saved his children from drowning.
The 36-year-old was airlifted to a local medical center after he dragged his children out of the water at a Pensacola beach.
According to reports, his breathing ‘is improving’ in the ICU.
A man believed to be his uncle wrote in a Facebook post that his nephew was having trouble with his kidneys and lungs.
“I just wanted to let everyone know on Razorback Nation that Peyton is doing better. He’s still in intensive care and having some problems with his kidneys and his lungs but the doctors say he is improving.
“I just wanted to head off any rumors that may be started. I’m sure he would want everyone to know that he appreciates all of the prayers being thrown up on his behalf!!”
Hillis is currently dating actress Angela Cole. It is not clear if she was also at the beach with him and his children.
After starting his career with the Denver Broncos, he was traded to the Browns.
In his four years at the University of Arkansas, he made a total of 960 rushing yards, 1,197 receiving yards, and scored 23 touchdowns.
Hillis is best known for his 2010 season with Cleveland, where he totaled 1,600 rushing yards and 13 total touchdowns. Thanks to that campaign, he won a national vote to be the cover athlete for the video game EA Sports Madden 12.
In a 2015 interview with Bleacher Report, he spoke about his struggles with depression as he decided to leave the sport he loved.
He said of his years in Cleveland: “I was going through real bad depression during that time. I was getting help because I couldn’t sleep, I was so upset that everything was going down the way it was and nobody could understand.”
Speaking about choosing to retire, he said: “After a while, it got too hard. I didn’t care as much anymore, I didn’t care to work at it. Football brought me down. I still love the game and I still have a lot of friends in the game, but as far as NFL football goes, my heart’s just not in it anymore.”
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