Stedman Bailey, after the bullets

On Nov. 24, 2015, Stedman Bailey’s life changed forever.

He was shot in the head twice. His skull shattered. Blood gushed. The grisly play by play remains forever fresh in his mind.

“Like a war zone,” Bailey told me once. “Call of Duty, but you’re really there.”

Miraculously, the NFL wide receiver survived. In 2018, I spent a few days with Bailey out in California for a story and he opened up on everything. At the time, he was hoping to make an NFL comeback. “I have a divine purpose to be here,” Bailey said back then. “You don’t just survive those shots and walk around normal. I feel like we as people all have specific plans on Earth.”

Years later, his purpose is becoming clear.

Bailey is a father of three, trains wide receivers and is determined to help anyone who experienced the same trauma as himself — including Florida State football player Ethan Pritchard. He can relate to everything Pritchard’s going through right now.

Bailey has even chosen to live right back in South Florida. He’s driven past the scene of the crime.

No, he never did find out who tried to kill them that night, though he’s sure people in the neighborhood know. Watching NFL games, he also cannot help but play endless games of “what if.” At West Virginia, he was a Big 12 star. With the St. Louis Rams, his future was bright. Then, poof. Gone.

As he explains here on the Go Long Podcast, life is all about perspective.

His life changed forever that night in Miami Gardens… but at least he’s got a life.

Each morning, he can smile.

Video and audio of our conversation is above. If words are preferable, here’s the transcript. As always, Go Long is powered by you. Thank you for supporting independent journalism.

It’s been a reunion week of sorts. Miss my conversation with Jamal Lewis?

Here’s that Q&A. After suffering from crippling suicidal thoughts, he’s back.

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