In a strange intertwining of events, former Arizona State University star and current San Francisco 49ers wide receiver, Ricky Pearsall, is on the road to recovery after being shot in San Francisco while a Phoenix boy received a barrage of messages intended for the athlete. Twelve-year-old Lincoln Schreck discovered that he had been assigned Pearsall's old phone number, which was flooded with concern and support following the incident as reported by FOX 10 Phoenix.
Since the activation of his new phone two months ago, Lincoln began receiving messages which initially seemed innocuous. "When I got the first weird message, I just dismissed it as nothing," he said, according to a CityWalks interview. However, after Pearsall's shooting on August 31, the messages took on a new tenor with well-wishes pouring in from across the nation. "I have Ricky Pearsall's old phone number," Lincoln told FOX 10 Phoenix. The messages continued, prompting Lincoln to respond, leading to the realization of whose number he had inherited.
The situation seemed surreal as Lincoln encountered an unending wave of texts. "just trying to get their message out to whoever they thought was Ricky’s number, and tell them that they hope he gets better and that they know it’s a tragic time. They’re just praying for him," Lincoln conveyed to CityWalks. This technological mix-up transformed into an unexpected conduit of empathy for the wounded player, as more than 100 messages were counted within three days of the shooting.
As the reality of Pearsall's circumstances took hold, Lincoln made efforts to redirect the outpouring of concern, "I want Ricky to know that the world loves him apparently because everybody, it's just, 'I'm praying for you,' 'We love you, man,' 'Just hope you get better,' and we all do hope that," he expressed, according to a conversation obtained by CityWalks. The incident has been an extraordinarily unexpected initiation into the world of mobile connectivity for the young Arizonan.
In the aftermath of the August 31 attempted robbery, the 23-year-old Pearsall was left injured in a populated area of Union Square. The assailant, a minor of 17 years, has been apprehended. The San Francisco Police Department emphasized that there was no evidence suggesting Pearsall was targeted for his NFL ties. In a statement released by the 49ers and discussed in the reports by both FOX 10 Phoenix and CityWalks, the organization expressed gratitude towards the police, emergency services, and medical staff involved in Pearsall's care. Pearsall was released from the hospital on Sunday afternoon.
