David Ortiz Is “Recovering Well” after His Third Surgery
Big Papi is in "good spirits" after the latest round of treatment for his gunshot wound, his wife Tiffany says.
David Ortiz photo by Keith Allison via Flickr/Creative Commons
As much as we’re all eager to see the David Ortiz we know and love return to his very public, larger-than-life self, he just isn’t there yet. More than a month after his shocking brush with an apparent assassin in the Dominican Republic, the Red Sox slugger is still receiving care at Massachusetts General Hospital and has remained outside the public eye. But we got some good news from his family today: Ortiz has undergone a third surgery for his gunshot wound, and is “recovering well.”
In a statement shared by the Red Sox Thursday morning, his wife Tiffany Ortiz says Big Papi is making progress after another procedure earlier in the week. “David is recovering well and is in good spirits,” Ortiz says, adding, “We continue to be incredibly appreciative of the kindness and compassion shown to David and to our entire family during this difficult time.”
The #RedSox today issued the following statement on behalf of Tiffany Ortiz: pic.twitter.com/U8rkXT7oaH
— Red Sox (@RedSox) July 11, 2019
She says the surgery was performed by Dr. David King, a Massachusetts General Hospital trauma and acute care surgeon who has treated U.S. soldiers on the battlefield and is a widely respected expert in the field.
Ortiz has been in treatment at Mass General since mid-June, when the Red Sox flew him from the Dominican to Boston. He spent time in intensive care before he was reportedly transferred to another unit. His apparent improvement is welcome news to fans in Boston, the DR, and around the world, as doctors had previously speculated after the attack that his injuries were so severe they could potentially be life-threatening. Previous reports said the gunshot damaged his colon, gall bladder, and liver.
