Braves pitcher Matt Marksberry awoke from a medically induced coma Thursday in an Orlando hospital, his sister said via social media.
A person familiar with the situation said Marksberry, 26, was in a coma after suffering a seizure and collapsed lung while undergoing a colonoscopy Tuesday. He went in for the procedure after having stomach pains for nearly a week.
His sister, Bridget, posted on Twitter just after 5 p.m. Thursday that Marksberry “is starting to wake up. He still has a long journey ahead of him. My family and myself appreciate the love and support you have given us.”
His brother, Ethan, posted on Facebook at about the same time that an endotracheal tube was being removed by doctors in preparation for Marksberry to awaken from the medical coma.
His brother, Ethan, said in a Facebook post Wednesday afternoon that his brother was on life support. Their parents traveled to Florida from their Ohio home Wednesday.
Friends had begun to fear the worst Wednesday night, when news spread on social media that he had a seizure and was on life support.
Two people familiar with the situation said at that time that Marksberry was unconscious, but that his vital signs were stable.
The Braves’ only comment on the situation came Wednesday when a team spokesman said Marksberry was being treated for “severe dehydration” and that HIPAA regulations prohibited them from saying anything more.
The first hint that Marksberry was dealing with a potentially serious health issue came Monday when the pitcher posted on his Twitter page: “I don’t want to sound selfish, but I really could use some prayers for my health right now. Non baseball related. Thank you guys.”
Marksberry, a 15th-round draft pick in 2013 out of Campbell University in North Carolina, made his major league debut in 2015 and pitched in 31 games for the Braves that season.
The left-handed reliever spent most of the 2016 season at Triple-A Gwinnett but made four major league relief appearances before going on the disabled list with rotator-cuff inflammation in his pitching shoulder, which sidelined him for the final two months of the season.
The Ohio native had been in Florida this offseason rehabbing his shoulder.
