Real 'Fighter' mom hospitalized

BOSTON, Jan. 14 (UPI) -- Alice Ward, the 80-year-old mother of ex-boxer Micky Ward and a character in the film "The Fighter," is in a Boston hospital after going into cardiac arrest.

The movie, and actress Melissa Leo's portrayal of Alice, have been attracting tremendous positive attention this awards season.

The Boston Globe said the real-life Micky has cut short his promotional appearances in support of the bio-picture to be by his ailing mother's side at Brigham and Women's Hospital.

Alice Ward went into cardiac arrest Wednesday, stopped breathing for more than 30 minutes and was placed on life support, the newspaper said, adding she had regained consciousness and was able to speak.

"She was dead for almost an hour and today she's ... doing so well," a family member wrote on Facebook. "The nurse said she's never seen anything like this in the eight years she's been working" at Brigham and Women's.

Mark Wahlberg plays Micky in "The Fighter."