Dr. Janette Nesheiwat, President-elect Donald Trump’s nominee for Surgeon General, has risen to prominence as a leading advocate for preventive medicine and public health. However, a tragic incident from her youth has resurfaced, casting a shadow over her nomination.
At 13, Nesheiwat was involved in an accidental shooting that resulted in the death of her father, Ziad “Ben” Nesheiwat, in their Orlando home. The 1990 incident, ruled a “freak accident” by authorities, has been described in police reports and revisited in media coverage.
According to the report, young Nesheiwat was searching for scissors in her father’s bedroom when she accidentally tipped over a fishing tackle box. The movement caused a loaded .38-caliber handgun to discharge. The bullet struck her father in the head while he was sleeping.
“I was in Father’s bedroom at about 7:15 a.m. getting some scissors,” Nesheiwat recounted to police at the time. “I opened the fishing tackle box, and the whole thing tipped over.”
She later added that she saw blood on her father’s ear and attempted to provide aid by placing ice on his head before calling 911.
Police arriving at the scene found Ziad Nesheiwat lying on the bed, his arms crossed over his chest, surrounded by pillows. Despite the efforts to save him, he succumbed to his injuries the following day.
The traumatic event profoundly shaped Nesheiwat’s future, inspiring her to pursue a career in medicine. In her 2017 memoir, Beyond the Stethoscope, she reflected on the loss of her father without explicitly mentioning her involvement in the accident.
“When I was 13 years old, I helplessly watched my dear father dying from an accident as blood was spurting everywhere,” she wrote. “I couldn’t save his life. This was the start of my personal journey to become a physician and enter the world of healing arts.”
Trump announced Nesheiwat’s nomination last month, praising her as a strong communicator and advocate for quality, affordable healthcare. “She is committed to empowering individuals to take charge of their health and live longer, healthier lives,” he stated.
Nesheiwat, a medical director and frequent contributor to Fox News, has drawn both praise and criticism for her public health stances. She strongly endorsed COVID-19 vaccination campaigns, masking protocols, and social media efforts to curb misinformation during the pandemic.
While these positions bolstered her reputation among some, they alienated portions of Trump’s conservative base, who viewed the measures as overreach.
In recent months, Nesheiwat has sought to bridge divides, criticizing the CDC’s vaccine rollout and acknowledging that some pandemic policies disproportionately impacted children. “As more data came in, it became clear that some policies were not in the best interest of all Americans, particularly our children,” she admitted.
Critics argue that Nesheiwat’s initial pandemic policies, combined with the resurfacing of her childhood tragedy, raise questions about her judgment and readiness for the Surgeon General role.
Others see her journey as one of resilience and growth, with the tragedy fueling her commitment to healthcare and public service.
As the nation’s potential “Doctor,” Nesheiwat’s past and her vision for public health will be closely scrutinized in the weeks leading up to her confirmation hearings. Whether her personal story becomes a liability or an asset remains to be seen.
