David Ortiz‘s condition has been upgraded to “good” by doctors more than a week after the former Boston Red Sox star was shot in the Dominican Republic, his wife said Tuesday.
“He continues to make progress with his recovery in the Intensive Care Unit at Massachusetts General Hospital,” Tiffany Ortiz said in a statement issued via the Red Sox.
“We remain grateful to everyone who has helped David through this ordeal, both in the Dominican Republic and here in Boston. David’s journey to good health has been bolstered by the many expressions of love that have come to us from across the globe. Your support has lifted his spirits tremendously during this challenging time.”
On the night of June 9, a gunman shot Ortiz in the lower back while he sitting on a crowded bar patio in Santo Domingo. The bullet passed through Ortiz, perforating his intestines and internal organs, and then hit his friend, TV talk-show host Jhoel Lopez, in the leg.
Following surgery in the Dominican Republic, Ortiz was flown to Boston, where he underwent a second surgery.
Prosecutors in the Caribbean nation say afugitive suspect paid for the would-be assassins who shot the former Red Sox slugger in a murder-for-hire plot. So far, 10 suspects are in custody and facing charges.
