Less than a year after surviving a shooting that nearly took his life, Florida State linebacker Ethan Pritchard was honored Wednesday night for a different kind of resilience.
Pritchard received the Doc Fauls Rise Above Adversity Award at the Golden Nole Awards, an annual ceremony recognizing Florida State student-athletes, after overcoming a gunshot wound suffered in Havana Heights Apartments the night after the Seminoles’ win over Alabama in August.
FSU coach Mike Norvell, visibly emotional, introduced Pritchard and recounted the moment he learned one of his players had been shot.
“Twenty-four hours after we beat Alabama, I got a phone call — it’s a phone call you never want to get,” Norvell said in his introduction. “A player was shot. At the time, we didn’t know the extent of what it looked like, but it was a mad dash to the hospital. It was truly one of those moments where all hands were on deck.”
Norvell recognized Pritchard’s father, Earl, and the medical professionals and staff involved in his recovery before presenting the redshirt freshman linebacker with the award.
Pritchard received a standing ovation as he made his way to the stage with a walker to accept the honor.
“I just want to say that I appreciate everybody,” Pritchard said. “Keep me in your prayers. I appreciate my family — my dad. That’s the man with a plan right there. He never left my side. Just keep me in your prayers, and I appreciate the love. And always, Go Noles.”
Pritchard was shot in the back of his head while visiting relatives in Havana in what authorities described as a case of mistaken identity. He was rushed to Tallahassee Memorial Hospital, where he spent more than a month in the intensive care unit before being transferred to Brooks Rehabilitation Hospital in Jacksonville. All four suspects have been arrested following the shooting.
Since his release, Pritchard has continued to make steady progress, working to regain mobility and independence. Though his recovery remains ongoing, he has remained determined to walk again unassisted — and to return to the football field.
A three-star prospect out of Sanford, Pritchard has stayed involved with the program throughout his rehabilitation and remains listed on Florida State’s 2026 roster.
Wednesday night’s ceremony served as both a celebration of athletic achievement and a reminder of the strength required off the field — a reality embodied by Pritchard’s journey back from adversity.
Peter Holland Jr. covers Florida State athletics and Big Bend Preps for the Tallahassee Democrat. If you like to pitch a story on a high school athlete, don’t hesitate to get in touch with him via email at PHolland@Gannett.com or on X @_Da_pistol.
This article originally appeared on Tallahassee Democrat: FSU’s Ethan Pritchard honored for ‘rise above adversity’ after shooting
Reporting by Peter Holland Jr., Tallahassee Democrat / Tallahassee Democrat
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