A new report has an update on the status of Japense legend Shinjiro Otani after he suffered a cervical cord injury in April. Otani was hospitalized after the injury at the ZERO1 show and had to undergo spinal surgery. According to Tokyo Sports, Otani was transferred to a rehabilitation hospital in Tokyo in August.
Otani is still paralyzed from the neck down, and the report includes a message dictated by Otani, who uses a nurse to help him keep in touch with his family:
To all the passionate wrestling fans and everyone in the wrestling industry
Thank you from the bottom of my heart for your warm words of encouragement and support. I am still living every day as hard as I can.
I am living in an environment where I cannot hear what is going on in the world of wrestling, which I love, so that I can concentrate on my treatment and rehabilitation. I am working hard in my rehabilitation every day, wondering what the current wrestling scene is like.
I believe that if I can overcome this, I will be able to return to the world of wrestling, which I love. Wrestling is something that gives me strength. Wrestling is the best!
I have the utmost respect for all the pro-wrestlers who still wrestle every day.
And to all the fans who come to the venue, I thank you so much for your support. Shinjiro Otani will definitely return before you all. Thank you for your continued support of professional wrestling.