One year ago, Congress defunded public media. Now that we're 100% community funded, please become a sustaining member or increase your existing membership today.
This is an archival story that predates current editorial management.
This archival content was written, edited, and published prior to LAist's acquisition by its current owner, Southern California Public Radio ("SCPR"). Content, such as language choice and subject matter, in archival articles therefore may not align with SCPR's current editorial standards. To learn more about those standards and why we make this distinction, please click here.
Lamar Odom Opened His Eyes And Spoke, Sources Say
Lamar Odom Jr. at the Tribeca Film Festival in 2012 (Getty Images)
There are reports that Lamar Odom opened his eyes and made some form of communication after being unconscious since Tuesday.
After reports of Odom's condition had deteriorated yesterday, there may be hope that he's on the mend. A source who is at the Sunrise Hospital in Las Vegas where the 35-year-old former NBA basketball player is being treated told USA Today Sports that his eyes seemed to be moving in response to sounds around him. When asked if Odom wanted to see his children, he communicated "yes," a source told Entertainment Tonight. Though, it's not clear just how he communicated that, if it was through speech or using body language. Sources told ABC News that Odom even said "good morning" and gave a thumbs up to doctors.
Sources told TMZ that though Odom has some body movements like his eyes opening, doctors are saying that they're involuntary movements. However, sources also told TMZ that his condition is improving, and his heart is functioning "much better."
A source told Radar Online that once Odom's breathing tube was removed this morning, as a precautionary measure to lower the risk of infection, he opened his eyes and made a sound.
TMZ reported that Odom has been weaned off of life support, and is able to breath on his own with a mask instead of a ventilator. It's not clear how long he will be able to continue breathing on his own, though, and sources say Odom's not out of the woods by any means. US Magazine reports that Odom is still in critical condition.
His children, 17-year-old Destiny and 13-year-old Lamar Odom, Jr., along with their mother and Odom's ex-girlfriend Lisa Morales, and his aunt JaNean, came from New York City to visit him in the hospital on Wednesday. Destiny and Lamar Jr. gave Entertainment Tonight a statement: "Thanks for your outpouring of prayers and support for our dad. We are here with our family and friends. We appreciate everyone respecting our privacy at this time. We ask for your continued prayers."
Odom has been hospitalized since Tuesday after employees at a brothel in Pahrump, Nevada, found him unconscious and unresponsive, with pinkish fluid coming out of his mouth and nose. There were reports that four of his organs had failed, he had suffered from a few strokes and had heart problems.
Sponsored message
Nye County Sheriff's Dept. said during Odom's four-day stay at the Love Ranch South, he had taken 10 tabs of sexual performance drugs, and an employee at the brothel said on a 9-1-1 call that Odom had done cocaine last Saturday.
One year ago, Congress voted to defund public media, eliminating a critical $1.7 million from our budget every year going forward. But they couldn’t silence us, and we’re not going anywhere. LAist is now 100% community funded and that means we’re taking our future into our own hands and turning to you to keep local reporting strong.
You come to LAist because you want independent reporting and trustworthy local information. Our nonprofit newsroom doesn’t answer to shareholders looking to turn a profit. Instead, we answer to you and our communities. We are free to follow facts wherever they lead and to hold power to account without fear or favor. Our only loyalty is to our readers and listeners and our mission: to inform, engage, and strengthen Southern California’s communities.
If this story helped you, please become a monthly member today to help sustain this mission. It just takes 1 minute to donate below.
You come to LAist because you want independent reporting and trustworthy local information. Our nonprofit newsroom doesn’t answer to shareholders looking to turn a profit. Instead, we answer to you and our communities. We are free to follow facts wherever they lead and to hold power to account without fear or favor. Our only loyalty is to our readers and listeners and our mission: to inform, engage, and strengthen Southern California’s communities.
If this story helped you, please become a monthly member today to help sustain this mission. It just takes 1 minute to donate below.
Senior Vice President News, Editor in Chief
