Detroit Lions linebacker Alex Anzalone suited up for his team in their 42-24 win on Sunday afternoon despite uncertainty about his parents' safety.
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Anzalone told reporters after the game that his parents are currently stuck in Israel as a part of a Baptist church tour group that was visiting the country. According to Justin Rogers of The Detroit News, the 53-person group arrived in Israel on Oct. 2.
Just days later, war broke out in the country as Hamas terrorist groups attacked Israel, leading to a military response from Israel. Because of the severity of this situation, and the suddenness in which it occurred, evacuations, especially ones by plane, have been hard to come by as Hamas has fired thousands of rockets into the country.
According to Rogers, the group was originally slated to leave the country this upcoming Thursday, but the flight is out of Tel Aviv, one of the areas where the violence has been most widespread since the start of the conflict. The group is currently held up in their hotel in the city of Jerusalem.
"It's hard," Anzalone told The Detroit News. "(It's) really all I've been thinking about."
Anzalone took to social media on Sunday night to plead with the government to ensure the safe return of his parents and the other 51 members of the tour group.
My parents are in this group. Please get my parents home… @POTUS https://t.co/Jjg3M1teyp
— Alex Anzalone (@AlexAnzalone34) October 8, 2023
Despite the scary situation, Anzalone played his heart out on the field against the Carolina Panthers, leading the team with 11 total tackles as the team improved to 4-1 in the young season.
The 29-year-old Anzalone is in his third season as a member of the Lions. He was originally a third-round selection of the New Orleans Saints back in 2017 out of Florida.
The hope is that Anzalone will have peace of mind on his parents' safety by the time the Lions take on Tampa Bay next Sunday.
