Dr. Janette Nesheiwat, President-elect Donald Trump’s Surgeon General nominee, caused a fatal gun accident when she was 13 years old, resulting in the death of her father. According to a report by the New York Times, Nesheiwat was searching for scissors in a tacklebox above her father’s bed in February 1990 when she accidentally knocked it over, causing a.380 caliber handgun to fall out and discharge, striking her father in the head.
Nesheiwat’s father, Ziad “Ben” Nesheiwat, was declared dead the following day at an Orlando hospital due to the accidental shooting. The incident was ruled accidental by police.
In a 2017 memoir, Nesheiwat writes about the loss of her father and how it inspired her to pursue a career in medicine, but she does not mention her role in the tragedy. She recounts the incident as simply an accident that occurred without explaining her involvement.
Despite her omission, Nesheiwat has spoken publicly about the incident and its impact on her life, stating that it inspired her to become a physician. She has also written about the trauma she experienced following the incident and how it affected her life.
Nesheiwat’s nomination as Surgeon General has been met with widespread support from President-elect Trump, who has praised her expertise and leadership in healthcare. She has also been a Fox News contributor and has worked as a medical director for CityMD, a network of urgent care clinics in New York and New Jersey.