Mark McGovern, Gaelic Football Player in Coma, Wakes Up

He's awake!

​Mark McGovern, the 22-year-old Gaelic football player who has been in a coma for five weeks, woke up over the weekend and has been showing progress every day since, according to his coach, Joe Duffy.

"It's quite unbelievable; a little miraculous, if you ask me," Duffy told SF Weekly.

McGovern has been in a coma since June 25, when he was involved in an off-the-ball fracas during a match at Treasure Island. The Irish athlete suddenly fell to the ground and had seizures -- but was nowhere near the ball. Witnesses have told police they saw players from the opposing team, the Celts, standing over McGovern, saying, "You won't get up from that."

His family, who has remained at his bedside, delivered good news over the weekend on their Facebook page that McGovern had woken up.

"Mark has now regained consciousness and is fully aware of his surroundings and everyone around him. Mark is yet to talk but has been trying to lip words in order to communicate with us ... Mark has attempted a few steps with assistance."

Police have identified 27-year-old Patrick Power as a person of interest in the incident. They've been attempting to talk to Power, who is a member of the Celts, but he has refused to talk, Officer Albie Esparza told us last week.

McGovern had come to San Francisco with friends this summer to play for the Ulster San Francisco club. 
 
"We are just delighted with his progress, and we are hoping he makes 100 percent recovery," Duffy says. "He's doing really well."

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