Virginia Gov. Terry McAuliffe has been hospitalized following a horse-riding accident during a family trip in Africa, a spokesman said Monday.
The governor broke seven ribs and has fluid around his lungs after being thrown from a horse over the Christmas holidays in Tanzania, the Associated Press reported. He is currently undergoing a medical procedure in Richmond, but is expected to make a full recovery and be "back in action" after two or three days of recovery.
"Our thoughts are with Governor McAuliffe after his accident and during his procedure. I wish him a speedy recovery," House Speaker William J. Howell (R-Stafford) said.
Over Christmas holidays, the 57-year-old traveled with his family to visit one of his daughters in Africa, who is working at a nonprofit over there. Shortly after, the horseback riding accident occurred.
On Monday morning, McAuliffe attended a Martin Luther King Jr. event in Norfolk and even completed a sit-down interview with local media. However hours later, he was rushed to Virginia Commonwealth University Medical Center in Richmond, according to WTVR.
Initially doctors had expected the weeks-old injury to heal on its own, but after identifying increased fluid around the governor's lungs, they admitted him around noon Monday for a procedure, spokesman Brian Coy said, stressing that the injury is not a "dire thing" and that the governor had been on the job since the accident, including delivering the State of the Commonwealth last week.
"He's been uncomfortable, but he's been going about his job," Coy said.
"Delivering a State of the Commonwealth with 7 broken ribs is incredible. Heck listening to one with 7 broken ribs would be tough enough," tweeted Tucker Martin, spokesman for McAuliffe's predecessor, former governor Robert F. McDonnell (R). "Seriously, @GovernorVA just won the "Thomas Jefferson Iron Man" competition. Get better soon Gov."
