Skip to Content, Navigation, or Footer.
Support the IDS in College Media Madness! Donate here March 24 - April 8.
Thursday, March 28
The Indiana Daily Student

sports football

Griffith discharged from Sarasota Memorial Hospital

Sunday afternoon update: Shannon Griffith tweeted at 1:04 p.m. that Isaac has been discharged from Sarasota Memorial Hospital.

"Thankful for everyone who lifted our son up in their prayers, the hospital staff, and Sarasota for helping two strangers in need," he tweeted.

The elder Griffith also tweeted two pictures of Isaac in a wheelchair with each of his parents.

Isaac later tweeted for the first time since the accident.

"Nothin more to say except I'm blessed. Indiana I'm on my way home today," he tweeted. "I can't thank everyone for there support in these past few days for me and my family I can't say enough how grateful I am."

Update:
At 8:25 p.m. Wednesday, Shannon Griffith tweeted that Isaac is breathing on his own and that the doctors brought him out of his medically induced coma.

"Today was a very good day for Isaac!  Early this afternoon the doctors gave the orders to remove him from the ventilator and bring him out of his medically induced coma he woke up well is breathing on his own and resting at this present moment," he tweeted. "We are still in a marathon for his recover and this two is just a little battle he is doing well we still have those little battles in front of us. He has responded to his name immediately, moved his hands, squeezed Kim's hand, moved his feet. He has some issues they are treating with antibiotics for his lungs but that is something we expected. We are giving praise to God for his strength and still need your prayers. We will update in the morning once he is evaluated but this was a big step forward for Isaac. Thanks for all the well wishes and support for our family our faith and strength in God and our prayers are being answered Isaac is #WinningTheLittleBattles #PrayForIke God bless"

Isaac's sister, Ashley Griffith, tweeted "IKE'S AWAKE!! God is so good & I can not thank you all enough for the prayers!! He is going great! Talking and getting stronger!!" at 8:36 p.m.

Update:
At 7:38 a.m. Wednesday, Shannon Griffith tweeted that his son's recovery is a marathon, not a sprint.

"Good morning Ike had a positive night but we have some more little battles in front of us today," he tweeted. "We know this is a Marathon not a Sprint! Ike has won these little battles along the way. We continue to ask for prayers for Ike for these #LittleBattles #PrayForIke #iufb"

Update:
At 10:48 p.m. Tuesday, Shannon Griffith tweeted that Isaac is still on the ventilator but the doctors have reduced it to 50 percent of his breathing, allowing him to breath 50 percent on his own.

Here is the elder Griffith's complete latest statement from Twitter:

"Just wanted to give an update on my son.  He has won some small battles throughout the day, he is still on a ventilator but they have it down to 50% with him taking on 50% on his own these are the small battles we are referring to. We continue to pray for lungs to show signs of healing and pray for the antibiotics they are giving him to ward of infection.  We are thankful for the prayers and thoughts in this difficult time for our family. Isaac is receiving great care here at #SarasotaMemorial critical care unit. We continue to talk to Isaac because we believe he can hear us. Again thank you to everyone across the country for reaching out to our family we will #wintheselittlebattles and plays #PrayForGrif #iufb"

Update:
At 6:44 p.m. Tuesday, the Griffith family released a statement through Kim Savage, the Sarasota Memorial Health Care System's media contact.

The statement read:

"Indiana University freshman Isaac Griffith remains in a medically induced coma in Sarasota Memorial’s Critical Care Unit. His condition is critical, but stable. Doctors say he is showing small, but incremental improvements.
 
Isaac’s parents, Shannon and Kim Griffith are by their son’s side and deeply grateful for the prayers and support from friends and followers across the states. They have asked for privacy during their son’s recovery and shared the following statement:
 
'We deeply appreciate the prayers and outpouring of support coming to us through tweets, calls and messages, both from Florida and Indiana. We are seeing positive signs throughout the day and winning small battles that give us hope.'”

Update: At 10:13 a.m. Tuesday, the IDS received the incident report from the Sarasota County Sheriff’s Office. The incident was reported at 7:31 p.m. Monday.

According to the report, Griffith consumed alcohol in his hotel room before going to Siesta Beach. While in the water, the current pushed him away from shore, and he was reportedly taken about 15 yards away from the swim buoy, where he started to go into distress.

The report said Griffith's friend Mitch McCune rescued him and brought him back to shore, where he had a pulse but was unconscious. His breathing was reportedly short and sporadic so McCune performed CPR while 911 was called.

The report read "the hospital later reported Griffith's CAT scan results came back normal which is promising."

According to the report, IU football senior wide receiver Nick Stoner and redshirt freshman safety Ty Smith were also drinking with McCune and Griffith, and were also there with them when the accident happened.

Update: At 6:45 a.m. Tuesday, Shannon Griffith tweeted that he and Kim have been at Isaac's bedside in the intensive care unit since 2 a.m. His father said Isaac's vitals are stable but the freshman is still in a medically induced coma and is on a ventilator to help his lungs heal.

Here is Griffith's statement that he posted on Twitter Tuesday morning:

"My wife, Kim, and I have been at Isaac's bedside since 2 AM we are encouraged with his progress in ICU but we have small battles to face and are asking for your thoughts and prayers.  We have great care surrounding him, we have placed this battle in God's, and we look for the Small battles he has over come. His vitals are stable but we still need for continue prayer for his lungs. He is still in medical induce coma and on a ventilator to help his Lungs heal. My wife and I want to thank all that have reached out we are Truly thankful for positive words and loving messages. I want to thank #HoosierNation and players who have been with Isaac or who reached out to us. We are a family of strength and faith. You can be assured we will #KeepChoppin and #PrayForIke"

Update: At 11:04 p.m., Shannon Griffith, Isaac's father, tweeted that he and his wife Kim are boarding a plane to Sarasota. His father said his son is stabilized in a medically induced coma but is "still critical."

"My family needs all the prayers we can for our son Isaac who is in critical condition following a water accident involving a rip current," he tweeted. "My wife and I are boarding a plane to Sarasota to be by his side our faith in God is our strength.  His condition is stable but still critical at this point in a medically induced coma to allow his lungs to heal other burials are positive at this time. We ask for your thoughts and prayers. #PrayForIsaac"

Editor's note: The word "burials" in Shannon Griffith's statement was likely auto-corrected from "vitals."

Update: At 10:55 p.m. Monday, IU Athletics released a statement: "We are aware of Isaac Griffith’s condition. Our prayers are with Isaac and his family and we ask Hoosier Nation to keep the Griffith family in their thoughts."

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

IU freshman wide receiver Isaac Griffith is in Sarasota Memorial Hospital in Sarasota, Fla., a hospital spokeswoman said. She would not disclose Griffith's condition or the cause of his hospital visit.

Griffith, a native of Ft. Wayne, Ind., played football at Homestead High School. At 10:04 p.m. Monday, Homestead Football tweeted "Please pray for former Spartan & current Hoosier, Isaac Griffith & his family. Isaac was in a swimming accident & is critical. Thank you."

The IDS was told by a source from Homestead High School that Griffith was allegedly caught in a riptide and had to be revived on the shore.

Griffith redshirted for the Hoosiers last season.

Andy Wittry

Get stories like this in your inbox
Subscribe