The Red Sox Are Going Above and Beyond for David Ortiz and Family After Shooting
The Boston Red Sox are doing what they can to help retired superstar slugger David Ortiz, who was shot in the Dominican Republic on Sunday night.
Ortiz was shot in the back at a Santo Domingo bar and suffered damage to his gall bladder, liver and colon, but he is expected to make a full recovery.
Best news we’ve heard so far come from David Ortiz’s father, Leo Ortiz, who told reporters gathered at the clinic that David is currently resting after surgery and that no organs were affected by the bullet. He said the doctors anticipate full recovery. #BigPapi
— Marly Rivera (@MarlyRiveraESPN) June 10, 2019
Even so, the Red Sox wanted to ensure he receives the best care possible.
The team was helping to orchestrate Ortiz’s transfer to Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston, according to The Boston Globe. The Red Sox sent a plane down to the Dominican Republic to transport him.
The aircraft reportedly arrived there Monday afternoon and was expected to be back in Boston on Monday night.
Despite being shot, Ortiz’s doctors said he was in stable enough condition to be flown over 1,600 miles.
David Ortiz update from @Enrique_Rojas1 who just arrived in the DR: Red Sox plane is about to land in the Dominican Republic. Medical authorities have authorized his transfer once the plane is ready for transport. “His condition is stable enough to travel,” per Dr. Abel González.
— Marly Rivera (@MarlyRiveraESPN) June 10, 2019
“Right now, the club’s exclusive focus is on David’s health and well-being, and we’re doing everything we can to get David back to Boston as soon as possible,” Red Sox President and CEO Sam Kennedy said at a news conference Monday.
Kennedy spoke highly of the team’s former designated hitter.
“The events of last night shook our Red Sox family to its core,” he told reporters. “David Ortiz is one of the most celebrated and beloved members of the Red Sox family. On behalf of our entire organization, our thoughts and prayers are with David.”
Red Sox manager Alex Cora, an Ortiz teammate from 2005 to 2008, also weighed in on the situation.
“He’s bigger than life, that vibe he brought in on a daily basis to those teams and what he brings anytime I see him,” Cora said, according to NECN. “He gives you a hug, a big smile. He does it with everybody.”
“It’s been a tough one,” he added. “I just hope when he gets here, everything is fine and we can see that big man again with us, filling a room with joy.”
Ortiz was shot from behind at close range while at Dial Bar and Lounge.
He was immediately driven to the Abel Gonzalez clinic, where he underwent surgery.
Ortiz told his doctors, “Please don’t let me die, I am a good man,” according to Dominican journalist Dionisio Soldevila.
A popular player, “Big Papi” had a major impact on the Red Sox.
Ortiz spent 14 of his 20 major league seasons with Boston (2003 to 2016) and helped the team win the World Series three times (2004, 2007 and 2013).
He crushed 541 home runs as a big leaguer and set the Red Sox single-season home run record in 2006 with 54.
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