Talk about a man of dedication to his state, to the citizens of a city under duress, and to the men and women who don the uniform of a police officer.
Texas governor Greg Abbott suffered massive second and third-degree burns on his legs from an accident involving scalding hot water, spilled during a family vacation in Wyoming.
His administration was in the midst of informing the public that the governor’s schedule would likely have to be altered due to his extreme pain and wounds that would need to be dressed daily.
Before that happened however, the tragic events of the Dallas police shooting were beginning to unfold. Abbott had the statement scrapped, and as he was heading back to his vacation spot after a stay in the hospital he told his staff that he had to return to his state immediately.
Against his doctor’s wishes, Governor Abbott told his aides flat-out “I’ve got to come back” in support of those police officers.
Incredible!
Via the Dallas Morning News:
Gov. Greg Abbott was in severe pain from second- and third-degree burns on his legs when he joined Dallas city officials Friday for a press conference in the aftermath of the mass shooting that left five police officers dead, the Austin American-Statesman reported Sunday.
Abbott had been vacationing in Jackson Hole, Wyo., when he was accidentally scalded with hot water on both of his legs, below his knees and on his feet. His staff was preparing a public statement informing Texans about the injury.
Abbott was driving back from the hospital when news of the horrific shooting in downtown Dallas broke.
“The governor’s first words were, ‘I’ve got to come back,'” said Abbott spokesman Matt Hirsch.
Immediately, Abbott began planning to travel to Dallas and ordered staff to turn lights blue at the Governor’s Mansion in honor of the officers killed in Thursday’s sniper ambush.
Hirsch said doctors had advised Abbott not to travel because his wounds need to be regularly dressed and present a serious risk of infection, but he insisted.
Abbott conducted a press conference after the shootings but didn’t mention his own injuries. He was wearing bandages underneath his pants so his injuries went unnoticed. He also failed to mention his own injuries to President Obama when taking a call to express his condolences.
Hirsch stated that Abbott didn’t want the burns to distract from the shooting.
Comment: Do you think President Obama would have done the same thing if he suffered an injury during the horrific events that unfolded last week? Tell us what you think he’d do in the comments section below.
