Florida State Senator Ileana Garcia had a brief health scare on Tuesday while speaking at a press conference hosted by Governor Ron DeSantis. The Republican lawmaker was addressing environmental legislation when she suddenly paused and told the governor she wasn’t feeling well.
“Governor, I’m sorry,” Garcia said. “I need to sit down—I don’t feel right.”
Just moments later, she began to faint. Fortunately, Florida Surgeon General Dr. Joseph Ladapo was nearby and quickly caught her, preventing a fall. As he helped steady her, Ladapo reassured her with calm words: “We’ve got you.”
Garcia was given some water and took a moment to recover before returning to the podium. Despite the scare, she finished her remarks, drawing a warm response from the crowd.
With a smile, she joked about the incident: “Are you kidding? This was my moment,” she said, prompting laughter. “It’s nerve-wracking, but Governor DeSantis, thank you for your grace.”
The reason behind Garcia’s brief collapse hasn’t been confirmed, but she appeared in good spirits afterward and completed her speech without further issue.
WATCH: The moment Florida Surgeon General Joseph Ladapo caught Sen. Ileana Garcia as she seemingly fainted or nearly passed out speaking at a press conference today
— Florida’s Voice (@FLVoiceNews) May 6, 2025
Garcia ultimately was fine and finished her remarks at the podium pic.twitter.com/Olloxog0AF
About The Author
