The Stream

Sunny Side of The Stream: Heroic Father, Football Star Who Nearly Drowned When Rescuing Children Now Off Ventilator

By Aliya Kuykendall Published on January 14, 2023 •

Aliya Kuykendall

Happy weekend!

Former NFL running back Payton Hillis is off the ventilator, his girlfriend Angela Cole announced in an Instagram post. She called him a “hero” and asked for continued prayers as “he’s still got a ways ahead of him.”

Hillis rescued his children from drowning in the Gulf of Mexico Jan. 5. He nearly drowned himself and was airlifted to the hospital. KNWA reported shortly thereafter that he was unconscious and in ICU.

Hillis’ uncle, Greg Hillis, wrote Thursday on Facebook that he talked with his nephew on the phone:

I told him about all the prayers being lifted up on his behalf and he’s so grateful for that. I also told him God has something very special in mind for him or he wouldn’t still be here with us!!! I believe this with all my heart and I think he knows and understands that!!! He assured me he would always remember this.

When sportscaster and former NFL quarterback Robert Griffin III posted on Twitter an acknowledgment of God and prayer as the sources of Hillis’ recovery, he was met with a flurry of oppositional comments, such as, “Amazing how a grown man thanks the prayers instead of the ventilator.”

It’s amazing how proud humans can be, not realizing every breath and every ability we have comes from God, and He holds all things together. We praise God for using Hillis to save his children’s lives and for using modern medicine and medical staff to save his life.

Let’s ask God for continued healing for Hillis physically, and even more importantly, for Hillis to have a deeper revelation of God’s love and to follow God faithfully all of his days.

Twitter Roundup

Here’s the good, cute and funny from Twitter:

Pro-life advocate Ryan Bomberger posted that he just learned the name of his birth mother. He’s written a song in tribute to her and a public letter to her before. (Find both here.) Now he knows her name is Sharon. He posted a link where he shares more, including this: “Despite being a victim of rape, she did not make me a victim of abortion. For that, I’m eternally grateful.”

A story of a woman in the underground church who turned from Satanism to Jesus.

This is so funny. He’s got a supportive mom!

https://twitter.com/TansuYegen/status/1613626449805643785

Chloe Cole is a beautiful, powerful, brave voice to fight the evil she endured:

A job well done:

Beautiful:

This is one of the sweetest things I’ve seen on Twitter. I love the way this big sister loves her little brother, includes him and encourages his language skills with music:

Praise God!

This orchestra’s surprise for the conductor and his flabbergasted response are just great:

What a cutie:

Imagine baking an apple pie and having this duo to assist you:

https://twitter.com/buitengebieden/status/1612422593679659011

How did he know it was coming? Amazing:

Hope you have an incredible weekend, and that you stay strong on any goals you’ve set for wise living. I am guilty of getting a gym membership in January. May God grant patience to those who have been at this for longer. 😅

 

Aliya Kuykendall is a staff writer and proofreader for The Stream. You can follow Aliya on Twitter @AliyaKuykendall and follow The Stream @Streamdotorg.

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