Ethan Pritchard was shot in the head, then ‘a miracle’ happened
Ethan Pritchard was shot in the head, then 'a miracle' happened. Skip to main content Skip to navigation Ethan Pritchard was shot in the head, then 'a miracle' happenedFlorida State Seminoles43mAndrea AdelsonHorns' Manning apologizes for 'insensitive' reaction to violent AI videoTexas Longhorns17hNo.
What happened
Oregon Ducks3dMel Kiper Jr. and Jordan ReidplayHow Florida State's Ethan Pritchard is a walking miracle (6:53)Andrea AdelsonSep 16, 2026, 07:00 AM ETClose ACC reporter. Follow on XMultiple AuthorsEmailPrintOpen Extended ReactionsTALLAHASSEE, Fla. — There is still a bullet in Ethan Pritchard's head. "Maybe it happened for a reason," Pritchard says. Zealene Lawrence, an aunt who helped raise Ethan, said there were between 50 to 60 people at her daughter's house wearing Pritchard jerseys as they watched for him on the sideline.
After the football team dinner, Ethan told Florida State head coach Mike Norvell he was going to see his family. "Lawrence called Earl to tell him Ethan had been shot. "Rather than take the bullet out, doctors induced a coma and placed a bolt in Ethan's head to monitor the pressure in his brain.
The wider picture
The gunshot wound to the head no longer posed the greatest threat to his survival. Earl Pritchard recalls one doctor asking him whether he had considered the possibility of taking Ethan off of life support after days with no progress. Seventy-one shots were fired at his Dodge Charger last August and 70 missed. Pritchard says he believes he glimpsed the next life while he was in a coma for 30 days. Pritchard can still hear his mother saying, "It's not your time.
These days, he tries not to think too much about why this all happened. "SOMETIMES, FOR JUST a split second, Pritchard forgets the bullet is there. Florida State had completed its usual Sunday practice, and Pritchard had impressed the coaching staff — making plays all over the field.
What has been reported
Pritchard had suited up but did not play, a true freshman waiting his turn. Ethan was born in Tallahassee and his parents, Earl and Andrea, both grew up in Havana, about 30 minutes away. As Ethan grew up, he set his sights on playing at Florida State, hoping to carry forward her legacy. After Andrea died, Earl sent Ethan to live with his two sisters in Sanford, Florida, near Orlando, while he figured out how to start over.
Ethan grew attached to his aunts, who became mother figures to him. When Ethan committed to Florida State in 2023, it felt as if he were with family. Even through a down year for the program in 2024, Ethan never wavered in his commitment to be a Seminole. They planned a big barbeque at Pritchard's uncle's house in Havana the next day to celebrate.
What happens next
THE PARTY AT his uncle's house was in full swing when Ethan arrived, complete with a DJ, food, games and inflatable water slides for the kids. As soon as Ethan pulled up, his family ran out to greet him, taking pictures, hugging him and congratulating him on the game. "At around 9 p. m. , Ethan was getting ready to leave. As they pulled up to a four-way stop in front of the Havana Heights apartments, Ethan turned to his aunt and asked, "Should I go straight or left?
As he started his left turn, Ethan saw somebody jump in front of the car. "My first thing I thought of was my auntie and my niece," Pritchard says. "Ethan had put the car in reverse to try to get away from the bullets.