Ricardo Lockette becomes emotional when reunited with life-saving paramedics
May 25, 2017, 2:07 PM
(AP)
Former Seahawks wide receiver Ricardo Lockette has praised the paramedics he says saved his life in 2015 when he suffered a career-ending injury against the Dallas Cowboys.
On Wednesday, Lockette got a surprise while he was speaking at the Washington Fire Chiefs Conference in Spokane.
The two paramedics from the Arlington Fire Department in Texas who treated Lockette — Deputy Chief Gerald Randall and Engineer Paramedic John Robertson — were in attendance.
According to Seahawks.com, Lockette said afterward, “If someone told you that your life was going to be on the line today, and your life is totally in the hands of this guy behind you in traffic, and he saved your life and you go on to see your kids’ graduation, you go on to propose to your wife, you go on to live a wonderful life, what would you say to that guy that initially gave all that to you? And that’s what today was for me.”
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Lockette was injured while on punt coverage. A hit by Jeff Heath gave him a concussion and caused ligament and disc damage in Lockette’s neck.
Lockette announced his retirement from football in May 2016. He held out hope of returning to the field but said the decision wasn’t hard because, “I love my family and I’d rather walk.”
He said the injury will keep him from doing some “small things” in the future, such as it likely being difficult to lift heavy things or play sports with his kids.
Lockette, who entered the league as an undrafted free agent, played in 34 games with one start in his five-year career.