Gordie Howe did not have a stroke Monday and is expected to be released from the hospital Wednesday, the Howe family said in a statement released by the Detroit Red Wings.
"During the afternoon of Monday, Dec. 1, our father appeared to have suffered another severe stroke as he displayed diminished consciousness to his attending caregivers and physical therapy personnel for more than 30 minutes," the statement read. "EMS was called and he was immediately transported to UMC Hospital. An MRI was performed Tuesday afternoon which revealed the great news that he did not in fact have a second severe stoke. It was determined that he was suffering from dehydration and is currently being treated accordingly. He is having difficulty eating solid foods at this time, has slurred speech and has been unable to walk for more than three weeks now. All of these factors are contributing to his overall decline in health. His mental awareness has improved enough in the past 24 hours to where we expect him to be out of the hospital and in his own bed at home before the night is over."
Howe, 86, was living at the home of his daughter in Lubbock, Texas, when he had a major stroke Oct. 26. Gordie Howe also has dealt with serious back pain, but his son Mark Howe said a recent epidural had relieved most of those issues.
Gordie Howe is considered one of the greatest players in hockey history. His professional career spanned five decades, most notably with the Red Wings. He played 25 seasons with the Red Wings, making his debut on Oct. 16, 1946, and led them to four Stanley Cup titles.
Howe played 1,767 regular-season NHL games, scoring 801 goals and adding 1,049 assists for 1,850 points.
NHL.com is the official web site of the National Hockey League. NHL, the NHL Shield, the word mark and image of the Stanley Cup, the Stanley Cup Playoffs logo, the Stanley Cup Final logo, Center Ice name and logo, NHL Conference logos, NHL Winter Classic name, and The Biggest Assist Happens Off The Ice are registered trademarks and Vintage Hockey word mark and logo, The Game Lives Where You Do, NHL Winter Classic logo, NHL Heritage Classic name and logo, NHL Stadium Series name and logo, NHL All-Star logo, NHL Face-Off name and logo, NHL. TV, NHL Premium, NHL After Dark, NHL GameCenter, NHL GameCenter LIVE, NHL Network name and logo, NHL Tonight name and logo, On The Fly, NHL Awards name and logo, NHL Draft name and logo, Hockey Fights Cancer, Because It's The Cup, NHL Green name and logo, NHL Vault, Hockey Is For Everyone, NHL Thanksgiving Showdown name and logo, NHL Centennial Classic name and logo, NHL Centennial Season logo, NHL100 Classic name and logo, NHL Global Series name and logo, NHL China Games name and logo, and Don't Miss A Moment are trademarks of the National Hockey League. All NHL logos and marks and NHL team logos and marks depicted herein are the property of the NHL and the respective teams and may not be reproduced without the prior written consent of NHL Enterprises, L.P. © NHL 2018. All Rights Reserved. All NHL team jerseys customized with NHL players' names and numbers are officially licensed by the NHL and the NHLPA. The Zamboni word mark and configuration of the Zamboni ice resurfacing machine are registered trademarks of Frank J. Zamboni & Co., Inc. © Frank J. Zamboni & Co., Inc. 2018. All Rights Reserved. Any other third party trademarks or copyrights are property of their respective owners. All rights reserved.