Days after beingreleased from Massachusetts General Hospital,David Ortizis thanking the team of doctors, nurses, and caregivers who helped him recover afterhe was shot at a nightclubin his native Dominican Republic.
“They are some of the best teammates I have ever had,” Ortiz, 43, said in the statement.
Ortiz also thanked fans for “the prayers and good wishes from the Dominican Republic and Red Sox Nation.”
According to the statement, the athlete will spend the next few weeks focusing on his recovery. “I am feeling good, but know I need to do my rehab just like I did when I was recovering from injuries playing baseball,” he shared.
David Ortiz.Frank Micelotta/Shutterstock
On Monday, Ortiz also shared his first social media post since the shooting.
“Being at home and look at my family celebrating that Im [sic] here safe is priceless,” he captioned three photos of food — including steak, fish and pasta — on Instagram. “Thank for all the prayers 🙏🏽 Too bad I can’t crush food yet 😑!!!!”
Ortiz wasreleased from the hospital on Friday, and will continue rehabilitation from home, with full-time nurses and his personal physician,ESPNreported.
“He will continue to undergo all the treatment and rehabilitation necessary to recuperate from his recent procedures,” a family source told the outlet.
The former MLB All-Starhas undergone three surgeriesin the past two months after he was shot in the back at a nightclub in the Dominican Republic on June 9. The bullet, which went straight through his stomach, caused damage to his intestines and liver.
A part of his intestines was removed following a six-hour surgery in a clinic in Santo Domingo, according to theNew York Times. Then, Ortiz underwent a second surgery at Massachusetts General.
On July 11, he had a third operation due to unspecified complications and was recovering well, according to his wife Tiffany’sstatementat the time.
Rob Carr/Getty Images
Although it was initially believed that Ortiz had beenshot during a burglary attempt, prosecutors now believe he was not the intended target of the shooting.
Last month, Dominican Republic police said that Ortiz’s friend, Sixto David Fernandez, who had been dressed similarly to the baseball star at the time of the shooting, was the actual target,ABC Newsreported.
According to the outlet, at least 14 people have been charged in connection with the shooting.
source: people.com
