Florida State University linebacker Ethan Pritchard returned home to Sanford on Sunday, receiving an emotional welcome from community members months after surviving a shooting in Tallahassee.

Residents lined First Street in downtown Sanford, many dressed in FSU garnet and gold or Seminole High School orange and black, to celebrate the homecoming of one of their own.

“It’s always important to show love. And that’s what we’re trying to do today,” Sanford City Commissioner Patrick Austin said.

James Postell, a Seminole High School alum and school photographer, said he had been waiting months to capture Pritchard’s return.

“Ethan, he’s a real humble kid and it’s a miracle he’s still with us,” Postell said.

Pritchard, a Seminole High graduate, was shot in August after FSU’s season opener.

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