Coretta Scott King, gay-rights advocate and widow of the iconic Martin Luther King, Jr., will remain hospitalized for at least another month to undergo rehabilitation for a stroke and mild heart attack, the Chicago Tribune reported.
The 78-year-old is now being fed by mouth and can say a few short sentences at a time, mostly ‘I love you’ when she sees a family member, said Dr. Maggie Mermin, King’s personal physician. King has been hospitalized since suffering a mild heart attack and major stroke Aug. 16. She is making some recovery to the right side of her body but still cannot walk. Mermin said that she is in high spirits and eagerly participates in three hours of daily physical therapy.
Cox News Service has reported that The Coretta Scott King Health & Wellness Fund has been established to help King pay her medical bills. Hilda Tompkins, who spoke on behalf of the family at a recent news conference, said that the fund started after people started sending in unsolicited money.
Tompkins would not comment on how much King’s medical bills are so far, or whether the widow has health insurance. Because she is past 65, King is eligible for Medicare. Those interested in making contributions can contact The Coretta Scott King Health & Wellness Fund, Citizens Trust Bank, P.O. Box 4809, Atlanta, GA 30302.