Lamar Odom Reportedly Starts Physical Therapy
LAS VEGAS (CBSLA.com) — Lamar Odom is starting physical therapy Monday after being found unresponsive in a Nevada brothel nearly a week ago, Entertainment Tonight reports.
The former Los Angeles Lakers and Clippers star was found unconscious Tuesday at the Love Ranch, a legal brothel located about an hour outside Las Vegas.
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Sheriff's officials said a 911 call from two people reporting he had been using cocaine and up to 10 tabs of sexual performance enhancer supplements over a three-day period. Odom, 35, was reported to be unconscious, but breathing, with blood and "a white substance" coming from his nose and mouth.
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He was hospitalized in critical condition at the ICU of Sunrise Hospital in Las Vegas. Since that time, his health has steadily improved.
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Odom's maternal aunt, JaNean Mercer, issued the following statment Monday morning to ET:
"Lamar has always been blessed with a tenacious, fighting spirit, overcoming insurmountable obstacles to achieve the impossible," Mercer said. "These past few days have been no different. He is defying the odds in his toughest battle to date with God's grace."
Odom's estranged wife, reality TV star Khloe Kardashian, has remained at his bedside. The pair recently moved to dissolve their four-year marriage. With their divorce not yet final, that leaves Kardashian with the authority to make medical decisions for Odom's care.
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Daniel Artest, brother of Laker, Meta World Peace – has been at the hospital – and posted this update Friday:
"Yes LO is alert, stable, did a little talking – breathing on his own. Today is a great day. Prayer works – Amen."
Mercer also seemed optimistic about her nephew's recovery: "Each day Lamar is getting stronger and reaching significant milestones in his recovery ... We are committed to remaining by his side as a family for our champion, who we love immensely."
Odom won the NBA's Sixth Man of the Year award while with the Lakers in 2011. He was a member of the Lakers' 2009 and 2010 championship teams. He had two sons and a daughter, but one of his sons died from Sudden Infant Death Syndrome in June 2006 at 6 months old.
Odom appeared with Kardashian on "Keeping Up with the Kardashians" and in a spinoff series, "Khloe & Lamar," in 2011 and 2012.
