Florida Gators basketball star Keyontae Johnson is being released from the hospital Tuesday, more than a week following his mid-game collapse, his family says.
Johnson collapsed suddenly during a timeout in the match against rival Florida State on December 12, where he was quickly put on a stretcher and taken to the hospital. His grandfather, Larry DeJarnett, told USA Today that Johnson had been placed in a medically induced coma early on in his treatment.
The school said two days after his hospitalization that Johnson was alert and “following simple commands.” Within a few days, the school reported that Johnson was "breathing on his own" and able to FaceTime with his teammates.
His family said Tuesday that Johnson was ready to be released from the hospital, 10 days after he was admitted.
“We continue to be amazed at the pace of his recovery and look forward to spending Christmas together as a family,” the Johnson family said in a statement released by the school.
Johnson and many of his teammates tested positive for Covid-19 during the summer. It is unknown if his collapse was related to his bout with coronavirus.
One complication of Covid-19 can be myocarditis, or inflammation of the heart muscle. At least one study found 30 percent of Big Ten athletes who had Covid-19 showed signs of the condition, according to research published in the medical journal JAMA Cardiology in September.
Johnson’s family would only say about the cause of his collapse that “the process to draw definitive conclusions continues.”
“We are committed to sharing not only updates on Keyontae but also any information we think could help others,” the statement. “When we have that, we will share it.”
