Former Boston Red Sox slugger David Ortiz, who was released from Massachusetts General Hospital last week, called his doctors, nurses and caregivers “some of the best teammates I have ever had.”
Ortiz was shot in the lower back on June 9 while he was sitting on a crowded bar patio in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic. The bullet perforated his intestines and internal organs before hitting his friend Jhoel Lopez in the leg.
According to authorities, Ortiz’s friend was the target, not the MLB star. Victor Hugo Gomez Vasquez, who is accused of orchestrating the shooting, has been arrested, along with several other suspects.
Ortiz had surgery in the Dominican Republic before he was taken to Massachusetts General in Boston, where he underwent two additional procedures.
“My deep appreciation goes to John and Linda Henry, Tom Werner, Sam Kennedy and the entire Red Sox organization for arranging the Red Sox plane that took me back to Boston from Santo Domingo and their continuing assistance to me and my family,” Ortiz said in a statement Monday.
Ortiz thanked fans for their prayers and posted photos of steak, pasta and fish on Instagram on Monday.
“Too bad l can’t crush food yet!!!!” he wrote.
He plans to focus on his recovery, he said in the statement: “I am feeling good but know I need to do my rehab just like I did when I was recovering from injuries playing baseball.”
“Big Papi will be back soon.”