Former NFL running back Peyton Hillis said Tuesday how he saved his son and niece from a rip current while his family went to the beach on Jan. 4 in Pensacola, Florida.

In an exclusive interview with Good Morning America co-anchor Michael Strahan, Hillis reportedly said it was a “100% miracle” that no lives were lost. ABC News.

The newspaper said Hillis took his three children and niece to play on the beach on a “windy” but “beautiful” morning, despite a “terrible storm” the night before. Hillis reportedly saw no surf warning flags on the beach and no lifeguards around. Hillis’ mother, who joined her family on the beach, noticed Hillis’ niece and her son brandishing her arms as they struggled with the rip current that was sweeping them off the shore.

In an interview, Hillis said the moment when she had to swim past her son to save her niece who was far away was her “most terrifying moment”. After pushing her niece to safety on a boogie board provided by a bystander, Hillis carried her son to battle the waves, who was “pretty limp.” , eyes were beginning to “roll to the back of the head.” (Related: New York firefighter drowns while trying to save daughter from rough water)

Hillis passed out and her lungs and kidneys began to malfunction. He was airlifted to hospital with the help of paramedics, reportedly regaining consciousness 10 days later and spent two weeks in the intensive care unit with the support of his family. Although he is now recovering, he said the incident taught him to always put his family first and called on people to “respect water.”

Local authorities were patrolling the area during the incident, reports said. Additionally, the nearest wave warning flag was a mile from the scene of the incident, but beachgoers should always use “best judgment” when judging the situation, ABC reported.