Tedy Bruschi ‘recovering well’ after suffering stroke

Tedy Bruschi, the former New England Patriots player and current ESPN analyst, suffered a stroke on the Fourth of July but appears to be recovering well.

Tedy Bruschi and his family endured quite the scare on Thursday while celebrating the Fourth of July.

Bruschi reportedly began to recognize the warning signs of an oncoming stroke – namely, “arm weakness, face drooping and speech difficulties,” according to an official statement from the Bruschi family made Friday. He was immediately checked in to Sturdy Memorial Hospital, where he has been “recovering well” since then.

According to CBS News, Bruschi suffered what is known as a “TIA,” which is short for a transient ischemic attack. Although a TIA is not considered a full-blown major stroke, it is still very dangerous and can also be understood as “a warning sign for a major stroke.”

Bruschi notably suffered a stroke back in 2005 while he was just 31 years old. He missed the first half of that season while recuperating and regaining full use of his limbs and face, before amazingly returning to the football field and rejoining the Patriots in October of that same year – only eight months removed from the stroke.

He played another three seasons in New England before retiring in August of 2009, and has worked as an NFL analyst for ESPN ever since.

Patriots owner Robert Kraft released a statement Friday expressing “shock” upon learning of Bruschi’s stroke, but also admitting relief now that it appears Bruschi is safe and on-track to make a full recovery.

In addition to extending “love, thoughts and prayers to Tedy and the Bruschi family,” Kraft also reflected on how Bruschi’s recovery from his first stroke back in 2005 has continued to serve as an inspiration to stroke survivors everywhere. Then and now, Bruschi also represents an excellent example of how important it is to diagnose the warning signs of strokes before they occur.