“He’s good …Thank god,” tweeted 49ers star Deebo Samuel Sr., echoing the collective sigh of relief from Niners Nation. Just hours earlier, rookie wide receiver Ricky Pearsall, 23, had been fighting for his life in a San Francisco hospital after becoming the victim of a shocking broad-daylight sh-oting. He has been released from the San Francisco General Hospital and everyone is so relieved.

Tori Moraga, Pearsall’s girlfriend and rock-solid support system, has finally broken her silence on social media, giving fans a glimpse of the couple’s harrowing ordeal.

“The absolute light of my life. God is our shepard, glory be to him,” Moraga wrote on Instagram, sharing a photo that speaks volumes about their bond. Her words, tinged with both relief and reverence, offer a window into the couple’s strength in the face of adversity.

Their love story, which began on the sun-drenched campus of the University of Florida, has been thrust into the spotlight. Moraga, a former member of the Gators’ official dance team, The Dazzlers, is no stranger to the pressures of performing under the bright lights. But nothing could have prepared her for this test.

As Pearsall recovers from a bullet wound that his mother described as having “exited out his back and missed his vital organs,” the football world holds its breath. The incident, which unfolded in the heart of San Francisco’s bustling Union Square on Saturday afternoon, has left the city and the 49ers shocked.

The suspect in the incident is a 17-year-old male from Tracy, California, who was arrested on Saturday. As per the officials, there was no indication that Pearsall was targeted because he was a professional football player. As far as the cops know, the suspect was alone and did not have any accomplices. But what really took place?

Ricky Pearsall: A close call and a community united

Union Square, always a peaceful place, erupted with gu-fire at 3:38 p.m. on Saturday. Pearsall, after having signed autographs of fans at a nearby related function, was looking down the muzzle at a 17-year-old armed robber.

“A struggle between Mr. Pearsall and the suspect ensued and gunfire from the suspect’s gun struck both Mr. Pearsall and the subject,”  the San Francisco police chief William Scott wiped a nervous bead of sweat away from his brow during a press introduction that had the entire city biting their nails. As per the information available, the suspect too got injured during the altercation and was taken to the hospital.

Further, William Scott shared that though Pearsall was alert enough to speak to the police after the incident, they would speak to him once again.

The 49ers organization, still riding high from their recent draft success, quickly rallied around their wounded rookie. General Manager John Lynch raced to the hospital, a move that speaks volumes about the team’s family-first culture. Head coach Kyle Shanahan, known for his offensive wizardry, now faces a challenge no playbook could prepare him for.

The road to recovery for Pearsall has begun, but this act will forever remind people of the frailty of life. The 23-year-old draftee (31st) for the 49ers in April has already sustained shoulder and hamstring injuries even before the commencement of the training camp. Now, he’s returning from a surgery.

However, people know his comeback with be worth the wait. With Tori Moraga and with all these folks behind him, it’s easy to see that Ricky Pearsall’s story is far from over. As San Francisco Mayor London Breed put it, this was a “terrible and rare occurrence” for Union Square. For Pearsall and Moraga, it’s time to show the world what they are made of.

What happens next in this scenario? Only time will answer this particular question. But we are sure about one thing- Like football, life is not only about being crossed once but rather how many times you rise after being down and out.