Mikhail Torrance Continues Improvement, Likely Discharged Soon

Former Alabama basketball star Mikhail Torrance will be discharged from Sarasota Memorial Hospital in the next few days, continuing his remarkable comeback after an on-court heart attack Aug. 20 left him on life support.

Torrance, 21, is facing a lengthy rehabilitation process upon a return to his family's home in Eight Mile, Ala.

Torrance regained his ability to speak on Tuesday, only a day after walking unassisted in the hospital for the first time. He was listed as being in stable condition Thursday, although his family is working with the hospital's discharge staff.

Despite a stellar, four-year career at Alabama, Torrance was bypassed in the 2010 NBA Draft after an extensive physical exam raised concerns about a heart condition he has known about for years, yet never considered life threatening. He never missed a game at Alabama, averaging 15.6 points and 5.1 assists as a senior.

Previously: MIkhail Torrance Battles for Life After Collapsing on Court

Earlier this summer, he had signed a two-year contract to play professionally in Israel, but he is unlikely to collect any money from that commitment, leaving his family with mounting medical bills.

To help defray the costs of a long and expensive recovery period, the University's booster club has established a Mikhail Torrance Fund (c/o Tuscaloosa Tip-Off Club, Bryant Bank, 1550 McFarland Blvd. N., Tuscaloosa, AL 35406) with 100 percent donated going to his care.

The family again declined all interview requests Thursday and continued to ask for privacy.

Torrance, according to a close friend who visited him at the hospital, remembers nothing about the heart attack he suffered at the start of a workout at the IMG Academy in Bradenton, Fla.

He suddenly collapsed on the court, hitting his head hard on the floor when he fell, and he was taken unconscious from the gym. Trainers at the facility started performing life-saving CPR almost immediately after he was stricken, and it continued when paramedics arrived a few minutes later.