Florida’s surgeon general saved the day after Sen. Ileana Garcia fainted midway through a press conference by springing into action and catching her before she fell.
The scary scene unfolded Tuesday as Garcia joined Gov. Ron DeSantis and other lawmakers onstage in Miami to discuss plans for statewide a ban on water fluoridation, according to Local10.com.
But midway through her remarks the state senator swallowed hard and suddenly stopped speaking.
“Governor, forgive me, I’ve got to sit down, because I am not feeling well,” she said, before her eyelids dropped and she toppled from her feet.
But waiting in the wings was Florida Surgeon General Joseph Ladapo, 46, who leapt from his seat to the stage within moments and caught Garcia before she could crash to the ground.
“Hey, hey, hey, hey, got you, got you, got you,” Ladapo said, before slowly easing Garcia into a chair.
The senator remained seated while the Sunshine State’s top doc tended to her, as others — including DeSantis — brought her water and fanned her down as she gathered herself.
Amazingly, within minutes, she was back on her feet, and took the podium again to applause.
“Are you kidding this was my moment? I could not,” she said to laughter from the audience. “Nerve wracking, but this was my moment. And I so appreciate your grace, Governor DeSantis.”
She finished speaking without a hitch and left the stage to more applause.
“Guys, can we just get another round of applause to Ileana Garcia,” said Miami Dade Commissioner Roberto Gonzalez when he took the stage next.
“Absolutely nothing is going to stop that woman from fighting for the people of Florida,” he added.
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