Hockey legend Gordie Howe hospitalized after another stroke

LUBBOCK, Texas -- Hockey Hall of Famer Gordie Howe has suffered his third stroke since late October and was hospitalized early this week, his daughter said Tuesday.

Cathy Purnell said her father suffered a "significant stroke" on Monday. Howe was stable and "a little bit alert" Tuesday morning, and doctors at a Lubbock hospital where he taken were scheduled to do additional tests, she said.

"He's a fighter," Purnell said. "The man is tough. He has this will to keep going, all things considered."

The man known as "Mr. Hockey" set NHL marks with 801 goals and 1,850 points, mostly with the Detroit Red Wings, records later broken by Wayne Gretzky.

Purnell said therapists who have been tending to Howe arrived at her house Monday morning and discovered him nonresponsive in bed. Howe remained that way until evening, when Purnell said he recognized family members once he became alert.

Howe suffered what his children called a serious stroke in late October and another in early November. He has been staying at his daughter's home in Lubbock.

She said the family wants to get the 86-year-old Howe back to her house as soon as possible.

"It scares the daylight out of me," Purnell said, adding that she told him Monday night to "stop pulling these games on me. He gave me a smile. His sense of humor is intact."

Son Mark Howe recently told Bill Roose of DetroitRedWings.com that he and his siblings were just glad their father was not in any pain.

"He's very much aware of what's going on and it's nice when you're there with him because you can still interact with him and all. He has his personality," Howe said Sunday. "Every day we're feeding him chocolate milkshakes and chocolate chip cookies, and being the person that he is, they offer it to him and he offers to give it back first for the women. Then they make sure he eats it. I'm just thankful that he's not in pain."