Former President Barack Obama on Monday wished former Boston Red Sox player David Ortiz a swift recovery, a day after a shooting that left Ortiz hospitalized.
“Six years ago, David Ortiz’s spirit and resolve helped us all begin to heal from the Boston Marathon bombing,” Obama wrote on Twitter. “Today, I want to join many others in wishing him a speedy recovery of his own. Get well soon, Papi.”
Ortiz suffered a gunshot wound after being ambushed Sunday night in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic, The Associated Press reported. He underwent surgery and is in stable condition.
In 2013, after the Boston Marathon bombing killed three people and injured hundreds, Ortiz addressed the tragedy in a speech to fans.
“This jersey that we wear today — it doesn’t say ‘Red Sox.’ It says ‘Boston,’” Ortiz said. “This is our fucking city and nobody is gonna dictate our freedom. Stay strong.”
Known for his charity work in both the U.S. and the Dominican Republic, Ortiz has enjoyed a level of fame that extends beyond his skill on the diamond. The former president was one of many to wish Ortiz well, with a number of fans and former teammates expressing support following news of his hospitalization.
“Please be Superman one more time,” Travis Shaw, third baseman for the Milwaukee Brewers, said on Twitter. “Please.”
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