Gov. Terry McAuliffe Hospitalized Due to Broken Ribs

Gov. Terry McAuliffe was hospitalized Monday, undergoing a procedure to drain fluid from his chest cavity after breaking seven ribs in a fall from a horse over the Christmas holiday.

“My husband is resting comfortably after a successful procedure this afternoon,” Virginia First Lady Dorothy McAuliffe said in a statement Monday evening. “He and I want to thank the outstanding medical team at VCU Medical Center who just informed us that he is expected to recover well and get back to his full schedule within the next few days.”

The governor was vacationing in Tanzania at the time of the riding accident, according to a statement from the governor’s spokesman Brian Coy.

“While on vacation with his family in Africa, Governor McAuliffe was thrown from a horse, which resulted in seven broken ribs,” Coy wrote. “While the injury did not impair his ability to do his job and his doctors expected the injury to heal on its own, today they identified increased fluid around his lungs that will require a procedure to remove. He is being admitted today and is expected to be back in action after 2-3 days of recovery.”

On Monday, McAuliffe attended the Urban League’s 31st annual Community Leaders’ Breakfast in Norfolk and showed no signs of distress, according to USA Today. He was admitted to VCU Medical Center after returning to Richmond.

Coy said McAuliffe was seen by a doctor in Tanzania but was not hospitalized there, according to The Washington Post. “He’s been uncomfortable, but he’s been going about his job,” Coy told the paper.

Republicans issued a get-well statement for the Democratic governor.

“Our entire caucus wishes Gov. McAuliffe a speedy recovery,” said Senate Majority Leader Thomas K. Norment Jr. “We look forward to seeing him back in Capitol Square in a matter of days.”

Patch file photo. Benjamin May with Capital News Service contributed to this report.