NFL Rookie Alive ‘By the Grace of God’ After Being Shot in Chest
By Movieguide® Contributor
San Francisco 49ers rookie wide receiver Ricky Pearsall was discharged from the hospital less than 24 hours after being admitted for a gunshot in the chest that occurred during an attempted mugging.
Pearsall was approached by a 17-year-old with a gun who demanded he pass over his Rolex watch after an afternoon autograph session. After Pearsall attempted to fight back, he and the teenager were injured by the gun. Police officers were quickly on the scene and were able to provide support while calling an ambulance to bring both people to the hospital.
The 49ers initially announced Pearsall was in “serious but stable condition” before he was released from the hospital less than a day later.
“I want to thank GOD for protecting my baby boy. He is extremely lucky, God shielded him,” wrote Pearsall’s mother in an update on Facebook, per CBN. “He was shot in the chest and it exited out his back. Thanks be to GOD it missed his vital organs…My son was spared today by the grace of GOD.”
“Just by the grace of God, Ricky Pearsall’s here with the team and doing really well, and just wanted to address that situation from a team perspective. We just all feel incredibly blessed,” added 49ers team manager John Lynch during a press conference.
Lynch also expressed his gratitude for the San Francisco police and General Hospital for responding so quickly to the shooting.
“It’s nothing short of miraculous that he came out of this as good as he did,” Lynch said.
Pearsall was drafted 31st overall by the 49ers earlier this year. He spent three years at Arizona State for three years before playing his final two years of college ball at Florida State. Though he is well on his way to recovery, Pearsall has already been designated to miss the first four games of the NFL regular season.
