Republican Texas Governor Greg Abbott has reportedly been badly injured in a scalding accident. The Texas Governor is said to have suffered “extensive second-and-third-degree burns” on both of his feet and both legs up to the knees. The extent of his injuries may force Greg Abbot to miss the upcoming Republican National Convention, according to spokespersons from his office. The RNC is scheduled to take place in Cleveland, Ohio next week.
Fox News reports that Texas Governor Greg Abbot was vacationing in Jackson Hole, Wyoming, when his injuries occurred. The extensive and severe burns were reportedly the result of a “hot water accident,” but sources close to Governor Abbot have declined to comment further regarding what happened, other than to say that the governor was injured on Thursday.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X03n5EiqMJc
According to Matt Hirsch, a spokesman for Greg Abbott, the governor had to undergo extensive treatment at St. John’s Medical Center following his injuries. As he was being released from the hospital, the Governor of Texas was advised of the recent Dallas shooting. At the time of his release from the medical facility, Governor Abbot was only told by an aide that a gunman had opened fire in the area. According to Hirsch, when Abbot learned of the attack (which would ultimately take the lives of five police officers), his first response was that he needed to get back to the state he was elected to represent.
“”His first words to us were, ‘I’ve got to come back.’”
Texas Governor Greg Abbott, who has been paralyzed from the waist down since 1984, declined to disclose his extensive burn injuries before or during a press conference he held on Friday in Dallas. That public speaking event was a direct response to the Dallas police shootings. Because Greg Abbot’s legs were wrapped at the time of the Dallas press conference, and because the Governor of Texas was wearing long pants at the event, his injuries weren’t visibly apparent.
— Kristy Trosper (@ktlonghorn) July 11, 2016
Texas Governor Greg Abbot was paralyzed during a jogging accident in which a tree fell on him. He reportedly has some nerve function in his legs and even in his feet, and according to reports did feel pain in the burning incident.
According to the Governor’s spokesman, Abbott won’t need surgery for his extensive burns right away and is currently having his injuries treated by way of daily cleanings and wrapping of his legs and feet. The regimen is expected to continue for the next several of weeks.
However, Texas Governor Greg Abbot is going to be need to see a specialist at the Brooke Army Medical Center, which is located in San Antonio. His appointment is reportedly scheduled from Monday afternoon, and the outcome of that visit could change Abbott’s immediate and future treatment plan.
The Texas governor’s staff had reportedly been drafting a public statement outlining the details of his burning injury on Thursday. However, in the midst of preparing that statement, the news broke that a mass shooting was taking place in Dallas.
In response to the Dallas police shooting, the Governor of Texas opted to postpone the statement regarding his personal injuries and focus exclusively on the situation in Dallas. He decided to release statements regarding the Dallas police shooting on Thursday and Friday. Governor Abbott also wrote an “open letter” to residents of Texas, imploring them to remain united despite the divisive act of violence perpetuated on Dallas police.
“For him it was important not to distract from what was happening in Dallas.”
News of the Texas governor’s accident didn’t hit the wires until Sunday afternoon.
Texas Gov. Greg Abbott burned: Accident occurred just ahead of Dallas police shootings https://t.co/9ZmlfXjNjq pic.twitter.com/fzoi2hyrQD
— AL.com (@aldotcom) July 11, 2016
Governor Greg Abbot of Texas is also the chairman of the Texas Republican Convention delegation and was supposed to be in Cleveland for the convention on July 18. At this point, it is just too early to tell if he will be able to make the journey to the GOP convention, an event that is already facing dwindling support from sponsors and speakers alike.
Many accounts and reports indicate that several corporations and Republican big wigs have effectively boycotted the Republican National Convention in response to Donald Trump’s presumptive presidential nomination.
Texas Governor Greg Abbot was a staunch supporter of Texas Senator Ted Cruz for president, however he has switched his support to Donald Trump in the wake of the reality TV star’s presumptive nomination.
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