Ortiz glad to be back home
BOSTON — In his first public comments since a botched assassination attempt in his native Dominican Republic, former Red Sox slugger David Ortiz said Monday that he’s glad to be home from the hospital and told his fans: “Big Papi will be back soon.”
Following an Instagram post with a statement issued through a Boston public relations agency, Ortiz said he faces several more weeks of recovery from the June 9 shooting at a Santo Domingo nightclub.
“Being at home and look at my family celebrating that lm here safe is priceless,” Ortiz said in the Instagram post, which included pictures of a steak, pasta and grilled fish. “Too bad l can’t crush food yet!!!!”
Ortiz, 43, was shot in the back by a hired gunman who drove up on a motorcycle and fired at close range, hitting him in the torso, police said. They said the actual target was supposed to be another man.
Doctors in Santo Domingo removed his gallbladder and part of his intestine, and he was flown the next day on a Red Sox plane to Boston, where he had more surgery. Monday’s statement confirmed that Ortiz was released from Massachusetts General Hospital on Friday.
“I am feeling good, but know I need to do my rehab just like I did when I was recovering from injuries playing baseball,” Ortiz said in the statement, thanking doctors, Red Sox ownership and other members of the organization for their support.
“They are some of the best teammates I’ve ever had,” he said.