Ortiz takes first steps following second surgical procedure

Former Purple Sox star David Ortiz took his first steps Tuesday following a second surgical procedure after he was shot in his native Dominican Republic on Sunday.

Ortiz, 43, arrived in Boston on Monday night time for the surgical procedure and is in secure situation, his spouse, Tiffany, stated in an announcement despatched by way of the crew.

Ortiz has been alert, has spoken to his household and “even flashed that smile,” his media assistant, Leo Lopez, instructed ESPN. The second surgical procedure lasted till about 1 a.m. ET on Tuesday, Lopez stated, with out specifying any particulars. Ortiz stays in intensive care and will probably be carefully monitored for the following 24 to 48 hours.

“On behalf of me and my household, I need to thank John and Linda Henry, Tom Werner, Sam Kennedy and the Boston Purple Sox for all that they’re doing for David and our household, in addition to Dr. Larry Ronan and the wonderful employees at Massachusetts Basic Hospital,” Tiffany Ortiz stated. “Lastly, I need to thank everybody for the outpouring of assist and love that we have now obtained throughout this extremely troublesome time. We ask for privateness as David works in direction of restoration.”

Ortiz was shot at a membership Sunday in Santo Domingo and underwent emergency surgical procedure to restore harm executed by the bullet to each his intestines and his liver. He was stabilized after which flown to Boston and brought by ambulance, with police escort, to Massachusetts Basic Hospital.

Authorities stated Ortiz was ambushed by a person who received off a bike and shot Ortiz within the again at almost point-blank vary round eight:50 p.m. native time on the Dial Bar and Lounge.

Police have two folks in custody, the suspected shooter and the suspected driver of the motorbike, a supply near the investigation instructed ESPN Deportes. However formally, police have acknowledged the arrest of just one suspect.

The motorbike driver has been recognized as Eddy Feliz Garcia, who on Tuesday night was charged with tried murder and prison affiliation, based on his lawyer, Bunel Ramirez Meran. The lawyer instructed reporters that Garcia is harmless and didn’t shoot David Ortiz.

Garcia was captured and overwhelmed by a crowd of individuals on the bar, based on Dominican Nationwide Police director Ney Aldrin Bautista Almonte.

Garcia suffered a skull contusion and trauma to his thorax, left knee and proper leg, based on the Dominican Republic’s Nationwide Well being Service. He was handled on the Dario Contreras Hospital in Santo Domingo earlier than being launched to police custody.

Police haven’t but launched the identification of the suspected gunman.

Investigators are attempting to find out whether or not Ortiz was the supposed goal, Bautista stated. Ortiz’s father, Leo, instructed native media he had no concept why somebody would have shot his son.

Ortiz, who was born in Santo Domingo, performed main league baseball for 20 seasons and is greatest identified for the 14 years he spent with Boston.

Eight of these seasons have been spent below Cleveland Indians supervisor Terry Francona, who stated he spoke with one of many medical doctors who’s treating Ortiz in Boston and stated the retired slugger is “in nice palms.”

“[Ortiz] is a really particular particular person, not simply to me, however to lots of people,” Francona, who managed Ortiz from 2004 to 2011, stated Tuesday. The veteran supervisor added that Ortiz “may mild up a room” together with his persona but in addition labored onerous at his craft and was a crew chief.

Ortiz made 10 All-Star groups and received three World Collection with the Purple Sox earlier than retiring in 2016. He was named World Collection MVP in 2013, when he helped the Purple Sox defeat the St. Louis Cardinals.

The Purple Sox retired Ortiz’s No. 34 in 2017, and Boston renamed a bridge and a stretch of street outdoors Fenway Park in his honor. Ortiz maintains a house in Weston, on the outskirts of Boston.

Data from ESPN’s Marly Rivera and The Related Press was used on this report.