NFL STAR DONTE STALLWORTH COVERED IN BURNS AFTER TRAGIC ACCIDENT
NFL wide receiver Donté Stallworth has described the terrifying moment a romantic hot air balloon ride became a nightmare after it struck a power line, leaving him and his girlfriend covered in burns.
‘It was the longest two or three seconds of my life,’ he told ESPN. ‘I literally thought I was dead.’ He also showed off the injuries that he and Soleil Guerrero suffered in the accident, which took place just south of Miami on March 16. They shared images revealing their broken, charred skin and a picture of bandages covering Guerrero’s entire body while she was being treated for third-degree burns.
The drama kicked off when the couple were celebrating Guerrero’s 27th birthday. They enjoyed the views for more than an hour.
But things suddenly took a bad turn when the pilot told them they would not be able to land at their expected location – and Stallworth, 32, saw they were heading for powerlines.
I became concerned when I was looking back behind me, and I saw that we were getting really close to the power lines,’ Stallworth told ESPN in his first interview about the accident. ‘By the time I realized we were going to hit the power line, it was too late.’ When they hit the line, they were both electrocuted and Guerrero caught on fire in the corner of the basket.
‘The shock felt like two or three seconds, but it was the longest two or three seconds of my life,’ Stallworth said, adding that he was paralyzed by the shock. ‘I started to get light-headed, and I remember telling myself, “Don’t close your eyes, if you close your eyes you’re going to die.” I literally thought I was dead.’
Guerrero said she also believed they were going to die. ‘I could feel the electricity… in my spine, from the top all the way through my body,’ she said. ‘I caught on fire somehow. I couldn’t believe how this was how it was going to end.’
The basket crashed to the ground and both were taken to a hospital in a helicopter, and were treated with second- and third-degree burns. Guerrero’s injuries were more severe. After the basket crashed to the ground, both were airlifted to the hospital with second- and third-degree burns. ‘This situation has made me realize that life is short,’ he told ESPN. Stallworth, a 10-year NFL veteran, is a free agent who played one game for the New England Patriots last season before he injured his ankle.
After the crash, his agent said he would not suffer permanent damage from the accident. ‘He’s going to be OK. He has some burns, but he’s going to be fine,’ Drew Rosenhaus told ESPN. ‘He will be able to continue his NFL career. The injuries are not to the extent they will jeopardize his career.’
The National Transportation Safety Board is investigating.
SOURCE: ABC
‘It was the longest two or three seconds of my life,’ he told ESPN. ‘I literally thought I was dead.’ He also showed off the injuries that he and Soleil Guerrero suffered in the accident, which took place just south of Miami on March 16. They shared images revealing their broken, charred skin and a picture of bandages covering Guerrero’s entire body while she was being treated for third-degree burns.
The drama kicked off when the couple were celebrating Guerrero’s 27th birthday. They enjoyed the views for more than an hour.
But things suddenly took a bad turn when the pilot told them they would not be able to land at their expected location – and Stallworth, 32, saw they were heading for powerlines.
I became concerned when I was looking back behind me, and I saw that we were getting really close to the power lines,’ Stallworth told ESPN in his first interview about the accident. ‘By the time I realized we were going to hit the power line, it was too late.’ When they hit the line, they were both electrocuted and Guerrero caught on fire in the corner of the basket.
‘The shock felt like two or three seconds, but it was the longest two or three seconds of my life,’ Stallworth said, adding that he was paralyzed by the shock. ‘I started to get light-headed, and I remember telling myself, “Don’t close your eyes, if you close your eyes you’re going to die.” I literally thought I was dead.’
Guerrero said she also believed they were going to die. ‘I could feel the electricity… in my spine, from the top all the way through my body,’ she said. ‘I caught on fire somehow. I couldn’t believe how this was how it was going to end.’
The basket crashed to the ground and both were taken to a hospital in a helicopter, and were treated with second- and third-degree burns. Guerrero’s injuries were more severe. After the basket crashed to the ground, both were airlifted to the hospital with second- and third-degree burns. ‘This situation has made me realize that life is short,’ he told ESPN. Stallworth, a 10-year NFL veteran, is a free agent who played one game for the New England Patriots last season before he injured his ankle.
After the crash, his agent said he would not suffer permanent damage from the accident. ‘He’s going to be OK. He has some burns, but he’s going to be fine,’ Drew Rosenhaus told ESPN. ‘He will be able to continue his NFL career. The injuries are not to the extent they will jeopardize his career.’
The National Transportation Safety Board is investigating.
SOURCE: ABC
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