OMAHA, Neb. (KMTV) — Governor Jim Pillen suffered a spleen injury, seven broken ribs, a fractured vertebrae, partially collapsed lung, and minor kidney injury after he was a bucked from a horse at his property Sunday, according to his office and trauma surgeons at Nebraska Medicine. He is expected to recover.
Surgeons in Omaha performed a procedure to stop bleeding around his spleen, which was a success. He is receiving care in the ICU, which is standard with spleen injuries, doctors said. They expect Pillen's ribs, vertebrae, and kidney to heal on their own. Managing his pain will be an important part of that recovery.
Pillen was initially treated at a healthcare facility near his property in Columbus, but was transferred to Nebraska Medicine due to the severity of his injuries, which office described as severe but not life threatening. Doctors expect him to be transferred out of the ICU some time Monday.
While the governor was under anesthesia for the spleen procedure, Lieutenant Governor Joe Kelly briefly acted as Governor. Pillen will work from his hospital room, a spokesperson said.
"Gov. Pillen, First Lady Suzanne and their family are enormously grateful to the teams at Nebraska Medicine, Columbus Community Hospital, and the EMS professionals who transported him after the accident. The Governor looks forward to returning to his office soon after Christmas and wishes a blessed and safe holiday to all Nebraskans,” his office said in a statement.
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