Detroit Lions' Alex Anzalone's Parents Are Home from Israel After Being Caught in Deadly Conflict
Anzalone's parents arrived in Israel on October 2 with congregants from their Naples, Florida-based church
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Alex Anzalone’s parents are safe and have returned home from Israel, the linebacker says.
The Detroit Lions player shared on X (formerly Twitter) early Thursday that his parents, Sal and Judy Anzalone, were en route to Florida, after their church trip to Israel coincided with the onset of violence between Hamas and Israeli forces.
“Thank you to everyone who has been saying prayers for my family and their safety,” Anzalone, 29, wrote. “It’s been a scary, anxiety filled several days but my parents are headed home safely. So many people to thank but I know this, God is good.”
By mid-morning on Thursday, First Naples church pastor Alan Brumback confirmed in a post on Facebook that the group had touched down in Miami.
Related: Detroit Lions Linebacker Alex Anzalone Says His Parents Are Stuck in Israel Amid Deadly Conflict
“Thank you to everyone who prayed for and reached out to us,” Brumback’s message read in part. “We are so grateful to be back in the USA.”
Since the weekend, Anzalone has been vocal about his concern for his parents and other Americans — including 51 other congregants on the church trip with his parents — who were caught abroad during the conflict.
"It's hard. [It's] really all I’ve been thinking about," Anzalone told The Detroit News after the Lions defeated the Carolina Panthers 42-24 on Sunday.
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In a since-deleted post on X (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, Donalds said. “Obviously, they are panicked, trying to find their way to get back to America."
Per the Detroit outlet, Anzalone tagged President Joe Biden in the post on X and wrote, "Please get my parents home," alongside the video of Donalds speaking.
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.
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