Pro basketball player Lamar Odom has regained consciousness and spoken in hospital, according to his aunt, three days after he collapsed at a Nevada brothel.
Alvina Alston, a publicist for JaNean Mercer, Odom's maternal aunt and godmother, said that he gave a greeting and thumbs-up.
The communication on Friday morning is thought to have been the 35-year-old's first since he was found unresponsive at the Love Ranch on Tuesday afternoon.
Ms Mercer is the sister of Odom's late mother and helped raise him in New York, where she still lives, according to the publicist.
The aunt and other family members, including Odom's estranged wife Khloe Kardashian, are at the Las Vegas medical centre.
According to media reports, Odom said "Hey baby" to Kardashian and also "Good morning".
Police have said Odom's collapse at the legal brothel where he had spent four days and $75,000 (£48,500) was possibly drug-related.
Love Ranch spokesman Richard Hunter said Odom had scheduled his visit on Saturday a week in advance and it was his first time there.
He allegedly picked two women.
Under Nevada law, prostitutes negotiate services and prices privately with customers as independent contractors.
The owner of the brothel, Dennis Hof, gets 50%
The house of prostitution has a five-day maximum policy, but Mr Hof said the sportsman talked about staying the whole week to celebrate Mr Hof's recent birthday.
When he got to the brothel, Odom told at least one of the women he had done a "small amount of cocaine" that day, Mr Hunter said.
He added Odom knew the brothel has a strict anti-drugs policy, and the only drugs anyone there saw him take were herbal sexual performance enhancement capsules.
Meanwhile, Khloe Kardashian has asked Mr Hof not to speak to media as dozens of reporters stake out the Sunrise Hospital & Medical Center.
But he said he was only protecting his business.
People magazine reports Kardashian was given the task of making medical decisions about Odom's treatment, but was "overwhelmed" by the responsibility.
The Kardashian-Jenner clan issued a statement on Thursday night saying they've decided to halt all publishing on their apps in support of Odom.
Currently a free agent, Odom last played for the Los Angeles Clippers during the 2012-2013 season and is no longer attached to any NBA team.
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