Florida State football coach Mike Norvell shared encouraging news Monday morning, and friends and family of Ethan Pritchard were equally relieved. The freshman linebacker, who is recovering from a gunshot wound suffered two weeks ago, opened his eyes Sunday for the first time since undergoing surgery on the night of Aug. 31.
“I went by there this morning and there has been progress,” Norvell said during his scheduled weekly press conference ahead of Saturday game against Kent State. “Yesterday, he opened his eyes. It was something that was emotional for everybody to be honest with you.
“There’s still a long part of his process moving forward, but it puts all things in perspective, the appreciation of a blink. He’s fighting, his family is there, so very supportive.”
Pritchard has been constantly surrounded by family members, most notably his father Ethan Pritchard, who sleeps in Ethan’s room at Tallahassee Memorial Hospital. Other family members have been staying in Tallahassee hotels.
FSU’s Ethan Pritchard of Sanford is critical but stable in ICU after Sunday night shooting
Pritchard, 18, who signed with FSU out of Sanford Seminole High in December and enrolled at the school in January, has been mostly sedated by doctors since his surgery, according to people close to him.
Bert Whigham, Pritchard’s trainer and manager, was in Tallahassee on Monday and was able to accompany Earl Pritchard to visit with Ethan.
“It’s such a blessing. He had his eyes open yesterday and he was able to blink, and even today,” Whigham said. “The doctors wanted him to rest a little more so they had his meds up, but his dad said to him, ‘Hey Ethan, it’s me and Bert. Would you show him you are with us and can you blink for me?’
“His eyes were kinda closed, but he blinked, and he said, ‘Can you do it again for me?’ and he did it again.”
Whigham, who is also a Seminole High grad and runs the Draft Academy Sports Performance Training Center in Winter Park, has worked with Pritchard for a number of years and knows the family well.
“You become family with these kids and their families, and it’s been hard on everyone to have this news,” Whigham said. “To see this for myself … it’s just incredible.”
Pritchard was shot in the back of the head while driving his car, giving his aunt and young cousin a ride after a family gathering in Havana on the night of Aug. 31. Police have said they think it was a case of mistaken identity and four people were arrested Thursday in connection with the shooting.
FDLE: Four arrests made in connection with shooting of FSU linebacker Ethan Pritchard of Sanford
Norvell also said on Monday:
“We’re called on this earth to love one another. There’s going to be plenty of differences and plenty of things that we all have, but to be able to — and it’s a challenge to me and a challenge to everybody that’s out there — is to be the example,” Norvell said. “We’re all going to have our faults, have our differences, but to just love one another and to be able to work and be a part of the good that’s out there, because there are too many things that are happening.
“The value of life and the appreciation of what we’re able to do on this earth is special.”
Whigham said the support from FSU and the community has been “amazing.”
“Florida State is doing everything, going above and beyond what I have ever seen a university do for one of its athletes and the family in such an extreme situation,” Whigham said. “Ethan has plenty of support. Every time I’m there he has multiple family members around him.
“Florida State and Tallahassee Memorial Hospital have been great, and Ethan is trending up.”
Pritchard was a standout linebacker for Seminole High and was the No. 7-ranked prospect in the Sentinel’s 2025 Central Florida Super60.
Chris Hays can be found on X.com @OS_ChrisHays.
https://www.sun-sentinel.com/2025/09/15/wounded-fsu-freshman-ethan-prichard-trending-up-opens-eyes/
