Tessa Quinn
On June 9, 2019, David Ortiz, nicknamed Big Papi, was shot and severely wounded in the Dominican Republic. Ortiz, a former baseball player for the Boston Red Sox and Minnesota Twins, underwent a six-hour operation, followed by a second surgery in Boston, and was eventually released from the hospital on July 26, 2019. In his first Instagram comments after leaving the hospital, Ortiz stated, too bad I can't crush food yet, referring to the after-effects of his surgeries. Ortiz made his first public appearance on September 9, 2019, throwing out a ceremonial first pitch at Fenway Park.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Date of being shot | June 9, 2019 |
| Hospital | Massachusetts General Hospital |
| Number of surgeries | 3 |
| Date of release from the hospital | July 26, 2019 |
| Date of first public appearance | September 9, 2019 |
| Date of first Instagram comments since leaving the hospital | July 29, 2019 |
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What You'll Learn
- David Ortiz, nicknamed Big Papi, was shot in the Dominican Republic in June 2019
- He underwent multiple surgeries and was released from Massachusetts General Hospital in July 2019
- Ortiz stated that he feared for his life and spent weeks on a feeding tube
- The shooting was believed to be a case of mistaken identity, with several suspects arrested
- Ortiz made his first public appearance after leaving the hospital in September 2019
David Ortiz, nicknamed Big Papi, was shot in the Dominican Republic in June 2019
On June 9, 2019, David Ortiz, nicknamed Big Papi, was shot and severely wounded while at the Dial Bar and Lounge in East Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic. He underwent a six-hour operation where a portion of his intestines and colon, as well as his gallbladder, were removed, and he suffered liver damage. He underwent a second surgery in Boston on June 10 and was released from the hospital on July 26, following a third surgery.
Ortiz is a Dominican-American former professional baseball designated hitter and first baseman who played 20 seasons in Major League Baseball, primarily for the Boston Red Sox. He was born and raised in the Dominican Republic and became a United States citizen in 2008.
The shooting of Ortiz was reportedly a case of mistaken identity, with authorities stating that he was ambushed by a man who got off a motorcycle and shot him in the back. The suspected shooter was identified as Rolfi Ferreira Cruz, and it was quickly reported that the attack was a paid hit job. On June 19, the Dominican Attorney General announced that Ortiz was not the intended target of the shooting, with another person named Sixto David Fernandez being the intended victim.
Ortiz himself stated that he feared the worst after the shooting and that he spent six weeks without eating or drinking, relying on a feeding tube. He also recalled the evening of the shooting, describing how he had spent the day with his children before going out socially with a friend. He was sitting and enjoying a drink when he was shot.
Following his release from the hospital, Ortiz made his first public appearance on September 9, throwing out a ceremonial first pitch at Fenway Park. He also acknowledged the support he received, expressing gratitude to his doctors, nurses, and members of the Red Sox organization.
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He underwent multiple surgeries and was released from Massachusetts General Hospital in July 2019
On June 9, 2019, David Ortiz, also known as "Big Papi", was shot and severely wounded while at the Dial Bar and Lounge in East Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic. The retired baseball player, formerly of the Boston Red Sox, was the victim of a targeted attack when a man got off a motorcycle and shot him in the back. Ortiz underwent a six-hour emergency operation where a portion of his intestines and colon, as well as his gallbladder, were removed, and he suffered liver damage.
Following the surgery, Ortiz was transported to Massachusetts General Hospital, where he underwent a second surgery to ensure the first had been successful. Unfortunately, he continued to struggle and remained on a feeding tube for weeks. Doctors discovered that the bullet had introduced a rare bacteria into his body, which was causing his health issues. They assembled an antibacterial team to fight the bacteria, but Ortiz's condition did not improve, and he had to undergo a third surgery.
Ortiz was released from Massachusetts General Hospital on July 26, 2019, following his third surgery. He acknowledged the support he had received from his fans and the Red Sox organization in a statement released on July 29, saying, "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." He also expressed his gratitude for being able to celebrate with his family, saying, "Being at home and look at my family celebrating that I'm here safe is priceless."
Ortiz's recovery continued at home, and he began eating solid foods again in late July. He made his first public appearance on September 9, throwing out a ceremonial first pitch at Fenway Park. Ortiz's shooting and recovery attracted significant media attention, and he shared his emotions about the experience in a 2022 visit to the Questrom School of Business at Boston University, expressing his pride in the city of Boston.
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Ortiz stated that he feared for his life and spent weeks on a feeding tube
On June 9, 2019, David Ortiz, nicknamed "Big Papi", was shot and severely wounded while at the Dial Bar and Lounge in East Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic. He underwent a six-hour operation where a portion of his intestines and colon, as well as his gallbladder, were removed, and he also suffered liver damage. Ortiz underwent a second surgery in Boston on June 10 and was released from the hospital on July 26, following a third surgery.
Ortiz stated that he feared for his life after being shot. In an interview, he recalled the incident, saying: "I know that I was hurting because of the impact and the sound." He spent six weeks on a feeding tube, unable to eat or drink normally. Ortiz described having a tube going from his nose to his stomach, which allowed him to intake water when he was thirsty. The feeding tube was necessary due to the presence of a rare bacteria in his body, which was introduced by the bullet. This bacteria caused issues with his intestines, requiring the third surgery to correct.
Ortiz expressed his gratitude for the support he received during his recovery: "Being at home and looking at my family celebrating that I'm here safe is priceless." He acknowledged the well-wishes he received from the Dominican Republic and the Red Sox community, as well as the care provided by his doctors, nurses, and the Red Sox organization.
Ortiz's shooting attracted significant attention, with at least eleven people arrested in connection with the incident. The attack was believed to be a case of mistaken identity, with another individual being the intended target. The suspected shooter was identified as Rolfi Ferreira Cruz, and the act was quickly reported as a paid hit job. However, the official account of the shooting was questioned, with changing narratives leading to doubts about its accuracy.
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The shooting was believed to be a case of mistaken identity, with several suspects arrested
On June 9, 2019, David Ortiz, also known as "Big Papi", was shot and severely wounded while at the Dial Bar and Lounge in East Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic. Ortiz was "ambushed by a man who got off a motorcycle" and shot in the back. He underwent a six-hour operation where a portion of his intestines and colon, as well as his gallbladder, were removed, and he suffered liver damage. A total of eleven people were arrested in connection with the shooting, with the suspected shooter identified as Rolfi Ferreira Cruz.
Ortiz underwent a second surgery in Boston on June 10 and was released from the hospital on July 26, following a third surgery. On July 29, he stated on Instagram that he couldn't yet "crush food", and his first public appearance was on September 9, when he threw out a ceremonial first pitch at Fenway Park.
The shooting was believed to be a case of mistaken identity, with the intended target being another person named Sixto David Fernandez, who was sitting at Ortiz's table. This was confirmed by the Dominican Attorney General on June 19. The attack was reported to be a paid hit job, with the alleged organizer promised 400,000 Dominican pesos (around $7,800) to carry it out. The first person to be arrested was 23-year-old Eddy Feliz Garcia, who reportedly fell off the motorcycle used in the attack and was beaten by bar patrons before being taken into custody.
Ortiz himself stated that he didn't know if he would survive the shooting, and he spent six weeks without eating or drinking, relying on a tube from his nose to his stomach. He also revealed that doctors discovered an unknown bacteria in his bullet wound, which caused further complications and required a third surgery.
Ortiz expressed his gratitude to his doctors, nurses, and members of the Red Sox organization, as well as acknowledging the support he received from the Dominican Republic and Red Sox fans. He also shared his determination to recover, stating, "Big Papi will be back soon."
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Ortiz made his first public appearance after leaving the hospital in September 2019
On June 9, 2019, David Ortiz, nicknamed "Big Papi", was shot and severely wounded while at the Dial Bar and Lounge in East Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic. Ortiz underwent a six-hour operation where a portion of his intestines and colon, as well as his gallbladder, were removed; he also suffered liver damage. He underwent a second surgery in Boston on June 10 and was released from the hospital on July 26, following a third surgery.
On July 29, 2019, Ortiz made his first comments since leaving the hospital, saying he was enjoying "priceless" time with his loved ones. He also posted a photo on Instagram of a steak on a barbecue grill with the caption: "Being at home and look at my family celebrating that I'm here safe is priceless...Thank you for all the prayers."
Ortiz made his first public appearance on September 9, 2019, throwing out a ceremonial first pitch at Fenway Park. He was also seen in a video posted to Instagram by the Red Sox, where he was taking swings in a batting cage. In the video, Ortiz appears to be in good spirits, smiling and joking with those around him. This appearance marked a significant milestone in his recovery and a testament to his resilience and determination.
The shooting of Ortiz sparked widespread concern and outrage, with many questioning the safety of public figures and the ongoing issue of gun violence. The incident also brought to light the potential risks associated with being a public figure, especially in locations without adequate security measures. This discussion prompted a re-evaluation of security protocols for celebrities and athletes to ensure their protection and safety.
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Frequently asked questions
Yes, David Ortiz, also known as Big Papi, was released from Massachusetts General Hospital on July 26, 2019, after being shot in the Dominican Republic on June 9, 2019.
Big Papi was shot and severely wounded while at a bar in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic. He underwent a six-hour operation where a portion of his intestines and colon, as well as his gallbladder, were removed. He also suffered liver damage and had to undergo a second surgery in Boston to ensure the first had been done correctly.
There were initial reports that the attack was a paid hit job, with Ortiz stating that he feared the worst. However, the Dominican Attorney General later announced that Ortiz was shot by mistake, and the intended target was another person named Sixto David Fernandez.
Yes, the suspected shooter, Rolfi Ferreira Cruz, was arrested shortly after the incident. By June 14, 2019, eight men and one woman had been arrested and charged in connection with the attack, including the person who allegedly organized the attack.
Ortiz made his first public appearance on September 9, 2019, throwing out a ceremonial first pitch at Fenway Park. He has also returned to eating solid foods and expressed his gratitude for the support he received during his recovery.
