Trump's pick for Surgeon General accidentally shot and killed father
President-elect Donald Trump's nominee for Surgeon General, Dr. Janette Nesheiwat, was allegedly involved in a tragic gun accident at the age of 13 that killed her father. The incident took place in February 1990 at their Umatilla, Florida, home. As Nesheiwat searched for scissors in a tacklebox above her father's bed, a .380 caliber handgun fell and discharged, hitting her father Ziad "Ben" Nesheiwat as he slept.
Nesheiwat's memoir omits details of tragic accident
Nesheiwat has not publicly admitted her involvement in the accident. In her 2017 memoir Beyond the Sethoscope, she details witnessing her father's death but doesn't speak of the gun accident. She wrote about how this tragedy motivated her to pursue a career in medicine: "When I was 13 years old I helplessly watched my dear father dying from an accident as blood was spurting everywhere." Her mother, Hayat Nesheiwat, a pediatric nurse, also shaped her career, according to the memoir.
Nesheiwat's distinguished medical career and family background
Nesheiwat has had a stellar career in practical medicine and was medical director for CityMD clinics in New York and New Jersey. She is also a Fox News contributor and worked on the frontlines during the COVID-19 pandemic in New York City. Trump praised her expertise and leadership during healthcare crises on announcing her nomination. Nesheiwat's sister Julie was a homeland security adviser to Trump, while another sister, Jaclyn, is married to Scott Stapp, the lead vocalist of Creed.
