Former New England Patriots linebacker Tedy Bruschi suffered a stroke on Independence Day, according to a statement released by his family.
“Yesterday afternoon, Tedy had a stroke, known as a TIA,” the statement reads. “He recognized the warning signs immediately: arm weakness, face drooping and speech difficulties. Tedy is recovering well, and would like to thank the nurses, doctors and staff at Sturdy Memorial Hospital for all they have done. Tedy and his family thank you for your ongoing encouragement, and kindly ask for privacy at this time.”
Bruschi, 46, has dealt with this issue before. He suffered a stroke just after the Patriots’ Super Bowl XXXIX win in 2005. He was able to return to the field in October of that year, finishing his career in 2008.
His charity, Tedy’s Team, works to increase awareness of signs and symptoms for strokes.
Bruschi is currently working as an NFL analyst for ESPN. A few of his colleagues tweeted notes of encouragement after the news broke.