Dr. Janet Nesheiwat, President-elect Donald Trump's nominee to be Surgeon General, said that when she was a teenager, she indirectly killed her father in a freak accident that inspired her career as a doctor. The New York Times reported.
In February 1990, the New York Times reported that 13-year-old Nesheiwat unintentionally knocked over his father's fishing tackle box from the shelf above his bed while he was sleeping to retrieve scissors. reported Friday. An unexpected movement caused the firearm inside the box to explode, sparking a tragedy in Umatilla, Florida, and changing the course of her life forever.
Neshewat told police at the time that “something fell from inside and I heard a loud noise.'' “I saw blood on my father's ear.''
Start your week in prayer and purpose, knowing that God's grace will guide you on your journey. 🙏💼 #MondayInspiration pic.twitter.com/IxELxfny1l
— Dr. Janet Neshewat (@DoctorJanette) November 6, 2023
According to the New York Times, local newspapers at the time reported that police mistakenly fired a .380 handgun as a “freak accident.”
Nesheiwat mentions her father's death in her upcoming memoir, “Behind the Stethoscope: A Medical Miracle,” but does not mention her own tragic role in the incident, the paper said. Reported.
“When I was 13 years old, I watched helplessly as my beloved father died in an accident, blood gushing everywhere,” she writes at the beginning of her 260-page book. “I couldn't save his life.”
In another excerpt published by The New York Times, Neshewat talked about how her father's death sparked her desire to help others as a doctor.
“This was the beginning of my life's journey to become a doctor and enter the world of healing arts.” (Related article: 'Not a leader': President Trump's Surgeon General nomination goes uphill to gain MAGA voters' trust)
What a wonderful birthday! Thank you from the bottom of my heart for your outpouring of love and heartfelt messages. My heart was satisfied! ❤️
I salute President Donald Trump for his birthday message.
thank you @realDonaldTrump pic.twitter.com/ZOEY5zG3KR
— Dr. Janet Neshewat (@DoctorJanette) August 25, 2023
According to the paper, Nesheiwat revealed in her memoir that her father, Ben Nesheiwat, was shot. According to the New York Times, a February 25, 1990 report in the Orlando Sentinel details how the victim was struck by a single bullet. He was reportedly pronounced dead the next day at an Orlando hospital.
Nesheiwat desperately tried to save his father with towels and ice before calling 911, according to a police report obtained by the outlet.
When she called the police, she said, “I was in my father's bedroom at around 7:15 a.m. to get scissors.'' “When I opened the fishing gear box, everything fell upside down.”
When police arrived, they reportedly found Nesheiwat's dying father lying on a sheet with his arms folded and his head injured, surrounded by pillows. One police officer described the incident as a “misfire” in his report, the newspaper said.
“As she describes in her book, she became a doctor because of the tragic accidental death of her father,” Trump transition press secretary Brian Hughes told the outlet. “She became a doctor to save lives. Her dedication to the lives of her fellow citizens is why President Trump nominated Dr. Neshewat to be the next Surgeon General. She misses her father as a family and I hope I make them proud.”
