Alex Anzalone’s parents are safe and back home from Israel, player says.
Detroit Lions player divided by X (formerly Twitter) early Thursday that his parents, Sal and Judy Anzalone, were on their way to Florida after their church trip to Israel coincided with a Hamas terror attack on Israeli civilians that sparked violence throughout the region.
“Thank you to everyone who has been saying prayers for my family and their safety,” Anzalone, 29, wrote. “It was scary, a few days filled with anxiety, but my parents came home safely. So many people to thank, but I know this, God is good.”
By mid-morning Thursday, First Church of Naples pastor Alan Brumback confirmed in a Facebook post that the group had landed in Miami.
Detroit Lions linebacker Alex Anzalone says his parents are stuck in Israel in the middle of a deadly conflict
“Thank you to everyone who prayed for us and reached out to us,” Brumback’s message read in part. “We are so grateful to be back in the US.”
Since the weekend, Anzalone has been vocal about his concern for his parents and other Americans — including 51 other worshipers on the trip to church with his parents — caught up abroad during the conflict.
“Heavy. [It’s] basically everything I was thinking about,” Anzalone said News from Detroit after the Lions defeated the Carolina Panthers 42-24 on Sunday.
Never miss a story — sign up for PEOPLE’s free daily newsletter to stay up-to-date on the best PEOPLE has to offer, from juicy celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.
In a since-deleted post on Xu (formerly known as Twitter), the NFL player shared a video of Florida Congressman Byron Donalds speaking to CNN about the group’s safety, the newspaper reported.
“I have 53 members of my constituency who are in Jerusalem right now,” Donalds said, according to the newspaper. “They’re obviously in a panic, trying to find a way to get back to America.”
US basketball player Dusty Hannahs details evacuation of Israel amid Hamas attack: ‘I just got out in time’
According to the Detroit publication, Anzalone tagged President Joe Biden in an X post and wrote, “Please bring my parents home,” alongside a video of Donalds’ speech.
Anzalone, who played football at Florida, was drafted into the NFL in 2017 by the New Orleans Saints. He joined the Detroit Lions roster in 2022.
Categories: Trends
Source: HIS Education