The Detroit Lions picked up another win on Sunday against the Carolina Panthers. One player, linebacker Alex Anzalone, was playing the game with a lot on his mind. After the game, he revealed that his parents are trapped in Israel with a church group amid the large-scale conflict that broke out this week.
/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/72731431/1694330135.0.jpg "Detroit Lions Alex Anzalone Reveals Parents Are Trapped In Israel Amid Large-Scale Conflict 1")
Detroit Lions Alex Anzalone Reveals Parents Are Trapped In Israel
“It’s hard,” Anzalone told The Detroit News. “(It’s) really all I’ve been thinking about.” The church group from First Naples arrived halfway across the world on October 2nd and was scheduled to leave Thursday out of Tel Aviv. The conflict between the two sides broke out and has made travel almost impossible. The group is doing everything they can to get home and Anzalone has been very vocal with local political officials about assisting the group from Florida.
My parents are in this group. Please get my parents home… @POTUS https://t.co/Jjg3M1teyp
— Alex Anzalone (@AlexAnzalone34) October 8, 2023
I cannot imagine trying to focus on football while this is happening to your family. I applauded Anzalone for opening up about the situation. He wants to bring awareness to the situation happening to his family to try and get them home.
Bigger Than Football
A story like this is a good reminder that some things are bigger than football. We as fans invest a lot into our favorite teams and players. Sometimes we forget that players have lives too and the things happening in their lives could affect their play on the field. We are very quick to criticize but not quick to understand what might have happened. This is a prime example of something that is bigger than football and an issue that should bring all fans together.
Anzalone will no doubt continue to play with the team but with something else on his mind. The hope is that his parents and the rest of the Americans can return safely.
