NFL wide receiver Donte’ Stallworth and his girlfriend Soleil Guerrero thanked the public for their concern and prayers on Monday after they were injured when the hot air balloon they were in crashed over the weekend.
"Both are in stable condition at UM/JM Burn Center at Jackson Memorial Hospital’s Ryder Trauma Center after suffering electrical burns during a hot-air balloon accident on Saturday, March 16," said a statement released by the hospital on behalf of their attorney Christopher Lyons.
The statement said they suffered severe second-degree burns and have been getting wound care and pain management.
"Both remain in the burn center at Jackson where monitoring of their conditions and wounds will continue," the statement said. " As they are dealing with the effects of their injuries, the couple would like to thank the doctors and nurses for the compassionate care they are receiving as they are focusing on making a full recovery."
The balloon's passenger basket, which had three adults aboard, crashed into power lines while airborne at Southwest 217th Avenue and Southwest 296th Street, Miami-Dade Police said.
The balloon's operator was not injured.
Agent Drew Rosenhaus has said Stallworth won't suffer any permanent damage from the accident.
"He's going to be OK. He has some burns, but he's going to be fine," Rosenhaus told The Associated Press. "He will be able to continue his NFL career. The injuries are not to the extent they will jeopardize his career."
Stallworth was suspended for the NFL’s 2009 season after he struck and killed a Miami man with his car following a night of clubbing in Miami Beach in the early hours of March 14, 2009, according to authorities.
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He served 24 days of a 30-day sentence under a DUI manslaughter plea deal. Its terms include probation for 10 years.
He played in one game last year for the New England Patriots before he was place on injured reserve with an ankle injury.
The crash's cause remained unclear Saturday, but Guerrero's family was grateful that everyone was OK.
"We are just thankful that she survived, because from what we know regularly people do not survive these things, so everything seems to be fine," Jimmy Guerrero said.
