Florida State Senator Ileana Garcia Appears to Faint During News Conference and Is Saved by Surgeon General: 'We've Got You'
"Governor, forgive me, I've got to sit down, because I am not feeling well,' Florida Sen. Ileana Garcia told Gov. Ron DeSantis, per a clip shared by Fox 13 Tampa
Florida Sen. Ileana Garcia appeared to faint as she spoke during a news conference hosted by Gov. Ron DeSantis on Tuesday, May 6
"Governor, forgive me, I've got to sit down, because I am not feeling well,' Garcia told Gov. Ron DeSantis, per a clip shared by Fox 13 Tampa Bay
She returned to continue her speech after briefly sitting down, telling the crowd, 'Are you kidding? This was my moment... I could not"
Florida Sen. Ileana Garcia appeared to faint as she spoke during a news conference in Miami hosted by Gov. Ron DeSantis this week.
On Tuesday, May 6, Garcia — a republican who serves District 36 in southern Florida — joined politicians to discuss the state wanting to ban "local governments from unilaterally adding fluoride to public drinking water," per an X post shared by DeSantis.
As Garcia was speaking on the stage, she turned to DeSantis and said, "Governor, forgive me, I've got to sit down, because I am not feeling well,' per a clip shared by Fox 13 Tampa Bay.
Florida Surgeon General Dr. Joseph Ladapo, 46, was nearby and rushed to Garcia's aid after her eyes closed and she looked unsteady on her feet.
'Hey, hey, hey, hey, we've got you, we've got you, we've got you,' he repeatedly said while holding on to her.
AP Photo/Lynne Sladky Florida Surgeon General, Dr. Joseph Ladapo, helps Sen. Ileana Garcia as she appears to faint during news conference
Others rallied around Garcia, making sure she was okay and had water to drink, per the clip. She then returned to the stage shortly afterward and made light of the incident.
'Are you kidding? This was my moment... I could not,' she said in the Fox 13 Tampa Bay video.
Related: Florida Surgeon General Appointed by Ron DeSantis Goes Against Science amid Florida Measles Outbreak
'Nerve-wracking, but this was my moment. And I so appreciate your grace, Governor DeSantis," the senator continued in a video posted by DeSantis on Facebook.
'Guys, can we just give another round of applause to Ileana Garcia,' Miami Dade Commissioner Roberto Gonzalez insisted as he took to the stage after Garcia.
'Absolutely nothing is going to stop that woman from fighting for the people of Florida,' he told the crowd.
PEOPLE has reached out to Garcia's office for a comment but did not immediately hear back.
Colin Hackley for The Washington Post via Getty Sen. Ileana Garcia
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Per local station WJXT, during Tuesday's news conference Gov. DeSantis said that he will sign a bill that "effectively bans the use of fluoride in Florida's water supply."
Paul Hennessy/SOPA Images/LightRocket via Getty Dr. Joseph Ladapo
'It's forced medication when they are jamming medication into your water supply,' the politician said while acknowledging that the chemical compound can help with dental health, the outlet noted.
'We have other ways where people can get access to fluoride. When you do this in the water supply, you are taking away a choice of someone who may not want to have overexposure to fluoride,' DeSantis added, as noted by the outlet.
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