LOS ANGELES: Former Boston Red Sox slugger David Ortiz, thanking fans for their prayers and good wishes, said Monday he's happy to be with family seven weeks after he was shot in his native Dominican Republic.
"Being at home and look at my family celebrating that I'm here safe is priceless," Ortiz said in an Instagram post that featured photos of a feast of steak, pasta and fish being prepared.
"Too bad I can't crush food yet!!!!" added Ortiz, who was shot on June 9 as he sat in a nightclub in his hometown of Santo Domingo.
The retired Major League Baseball star had emergency surgery that night and was then flown to a Boston area hospital for further surgery and treatment, finally leaving hospital on Friday.
The investigation of the shooting continues, but authorities in the Dominican Republic said Ortiz was shot in a case of mistaken identity.
In a separate statement released through a public relations firm, the 43-year-old thanked the Red Sox for providing the club's plane to fly him to Boston and for their continued support during treatment for serious injuries.
He also thanked the fans of "Red Sox Nation" and supporters in the Dominican Republic who have offered their support and prayers.
"Big Papi will be back soon," he said in the statement.
Former Boston Red Sox star David Ortiz happy to be home after surviving shooting
Former Boston Red Sox star David Ortiz happy to be home after surviving shooting
- The retired Major League Baseball star had emergency surgery
- The investigation of the shooting continues
World Cup flight, hotel bookings spike although US violence casts shadow
- Of the bookings made for the time frame of the tournament, 37 percent were in the month since the draw
- The data does not show whether more recent immigration raids in the US have had an impact on 2026 bookings
LONDON: Flight bookings to North America have spiked since the soccer World Cup match schedule was announced in December, data from travel technology firm Amadeus showed on Tuesday, with 18 percent of those reservations made by British travelers.
European travel to the United States has dipped since President Donald Trump’s election in November 2024, with many tourists deterred by greater scrutiny at border crossings.
Although a recent rise in violence tied to ICE detentions in the city of Minneapolis has amplified fears among some, data from World Cup watchers and Amadeus show that bookings are up, particularly among England and Scotland fans.
Of the bookings made for the time frame of the tournament, which will be held in the United States, Canada and Mexico from June 11 to July 19, 37 percent were in the month since the draw.
However, the data does not show whether more recent immigration raids in the US have had an impact on 2026 bookings. And a major sports event does not guarantee a travel boost to the host country, as shown by the 2024 Paris Olympics.
“The tournament is a chance to see the most talented football players in the world and fans will go almost anywhere to watch the finest, whatever the policies and politics of the host country,” said travel analyst Paul Charles.
“However, safety is a key factor too, so visitors will be hoping that calm prevails in host cities and that their travel insurance will remain valid for their planned trips in June and July,” added Charles, who is CEO of consultancy The PC Agency.
The largest spike of bookings per day was seen for the first match in New York City between Brazil and Morocco, with over 2,500 flight bookings, the Amadeus data shows.
Hotel bookings in Canada and Mexico have also risen, with the average occupancy of hotels in Mexico City on the nights ahead of three planned matches there at 21 percent, up from 4 percent for the same time last year.
