Basketball legend Samboy Lim is slowly getting into full recovery, nine years after falling into a comatose state following a cardiac arrest during an exhibition game with friends and former colleagues in the Philippine Basketball Association.
“Samboy’s condition is stable,” said in a post on his official Facebook page.
“His family, led by Atty. Lelen Berberabe, and daughter Jamie Lim, family members, incredible team of doctors led by Dr. Luigi Segundo, devoted nursing team led by CG Rona Celino and other health professionals, are taking excellent care of him.”
The page admin said the 60-year-old Lim will “continue to undergo routine occupational and physical therapy.”
Lim’s official Facebook page became active again on Jan. 12, with the admin promising to provide more updates about his recovery.
“After losing access and not posting for so many years, we are back on Facebook! Please follow for content and updates. Salamat po at Maligayang bagong taon!.”
In November 2014, Lim collapsed after briefly seeing action in an exhibition game at the Ynares Center in Pasig City. He lost consciousness and was brought to the hospital where he was revived. He was in a coma at the hospital’s Intensive Care Unit and was brought home after two months although he was not yet able to see and speak.
He showed emotions for the first time during the graduation of her daughter Jamie Lim, a karate national athlete, at the University of the Philippines attended by the former San Miguel star and her former wife Berberabe.
Berberabe said tears fell from Lim’s eyes.
Lim’s sister Maricor Lim Wicklund expressed gratitude for his estranged wife Berberabe, and daughter Jamie for continuously taking care of the cage legend nicknamed “The Skywalker” for his acrobatic, high-flying style of basketball in the late 1980s until the ‘90s.
Lim, a four-time PBA All-Star and two-time Mythical Second Team selection, was part of San Miguel Beer’s Grand Slam team of 1989 in the PBA. He was named in the PBA’s 25 Greatest Players and also won a gold medal for the Philippines in the 1986 FIBA Asia Championship.