"After several difficult days, my father is feeling much better. He is still in the critical care unit of the hospital and more tests await him, but he is off the ventilator and breathing on his own. Each day he's acting more and more like himself, and he's even giving people grief — myself included — because the hospital doesn't carry Yankees games on television.
"When things like this occur in life, you certainly take notice of
how much your teammates become more like family members. Their
unconditional support, along with that of so many fans, has made a very
tough time easier to deal with. Everyone's love has been felt by my
entire family, and it has brought great comfort to us when we have
needed it most. "I look forward to being reunited with my manager, coaches and
teammates so I can thank each of them personally for all that they have
done for my family."