Sammy Sasso's 1st public words since being shot: 'It's been tough as hell'

COLUMBUS, Ohio — Wrestler Sammy Sasso is reaching out to supporters for the first time since being shot and wounded in a reported robbery attempt Friday night.

Sasso, an Ohio State wrestler who won two state championships at Nazareth Area High School, took to Twitter on Sunday night to thank people for their thoughts and encouragement.

• Wrestler Sammy Sasso was shot Friday night
• It reportedly happened in a supermarket parking lot near the Ohio State campus in Columbus
• No arrests have been reported and police have not provided an update

"God bless everyone for their support during this time," he said. "It's been tough as hell but we are steadily improving. I can't thank everyone enough for being in my corner."

Sasso reportedly was shot in the stomach in a Kroger supermarket parking lot shortly before 8:30 p.m. Friday. He was taken to The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center, where he reportedly underwent surgery and was in stable condition.

Ohio State wrestling coach Tom Ryan said Sasso's injuries were not life-threatening.

No arrests were reported and Columbus police have not provided an update on the investigation.

Sasso, a 2018 Nazareth High grad, has a year of eligibility remaining at Ohio State.

One of the greatest wrestlers ever to come out of the Lehigh Valley, he is a four-time All-American, two-time Big Ten champion and two-time NCAA finalist for Ohio State.

In a tweet Saturday, Ohio State Wrestling said: "The Sasso family, along with our staff and athletes, are thankful his injuries are not life-threatening and are supporting his recovery with the strength of Buckeye Nation behind him."

Sasso is 94-12 in his career at Ohio State and in 2022 won Ohio State's Most Valuable Wrestler Award and Leadership Award. He was an OSU scholar athlete in 2019 and 2020, and in 2020 also was an NWCA Scholar All-American.