Photo: courtesy Kelly All
Making the day even more memorable was the pregame birth of All’s own son, Houston, whom he shares with college sweetheart Mia Holmes, 23. “That will probably be the craziest thing that’s ever happened to me,” says All, “I owe him my life.”
Steve Koger/USA TODAY NETWORK
“Erick was limp in my hands,” he says. “I thought we were too late.”
“It was the hardest seven days,” says his mom Kelly, now 44. “But eventually he woke up. He’s been fine ever since.”
Courtesy Kelly All
Miraculously, All sustained no lasting lung or throat damage, and went on to become a student athlete who excelled at football. At age 18, the 6'5" star tight end joined theUniversity of Michiganfootball team, where he hit the field in his No. 83 Wolverines jersey as a freshman in 2019.
“At his first game of the season,” Broyles says, “I sat at the 50-yard line with Erick’s mom and dad.” And following the game, during which All caught a pass that helped Michigan beat Colorado State, the fireman and the footballer shared a hug, marking their first reunion since the nightmare that almost ended in tragedy.
“Seeing him means a lot more than I can put into words,” says All, now 22. “If it wasn’t for him, I wouldn’t be here.”
It was also a full-circle moment for All’s parents, who vividly remember seeing Broyles carrying their son to safety. “We are so grateful,” Kelly tells PEOPLE. “We’ll never be able to thank him properly.”
Since their reunion, All suffered a back injury that has required surgery. Once recovered, he plans to continue his college football career at theUniversity of Iowa. No matter where he is, Broyles will always support him. “My wife and I will go to his next game,” he says. “I look at it like, ‘Oh, that’s our kid.’ I just have so much pride in him.”
source: people.com
