Open water swimming legend Steven Munatones is awake in the Critical Care Unit at the Hoag Hospital after suffering a heart attack late last week.
His sister, Stacey, has faithfully posted updates to her Facebook page, and on Sunday morning she posted her latest update that Steven had opened his eyes and responded to his wife’s hand.
The news is a positive sign after Munatones was placed into a hypothermic state for 24 hours and gradually warmed up. The technique is designed to preserve body tissue and increase the chances of a complete recovery.
Munatones is a former U.S. Open Water Team head coach and a member of the International Marathon Swimming Hall of Fame.