LONDON - Former Manchester United soccer great George Best has woken up and is breathing without a ventilator, his doctor said today.
Best, who was admitted to intensive care on October 2, has spent the last five days heavily sedated and seriously ill after suffering internal bleeding linked to a kidney infection.
"He's now off the ventilator which is very good news," Professor Roger Williams said outside the private Cromwell Hospital.
"He's recognising people. Please don't run away with thinking he's absolutely fantastic because there is still a long way to go. It's a long haul when they've been as ill as this."
But Williams said there was an "increased degree of hope" that Best could fully recover.
"If he recovers from this illness he should go back to a very reasonable state of health.
"There's no reason for him to have permanent, long-term harm from these acute episodes."
The 1968 European soccer player of the year has had an alcohol problem for much of his adult life and underwent a liver transplant in 2002 after years of heavy drinking.
He became seriously ill last Wednesday, prompting his agent Phil Hughes to describe him as being close to death.
- REUTERS
Soccer: Best off ventilator
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