After a harrowing experience with winter driving conditions, State Sen. Anthony Kern of Arizona is now making his journey home following a serious car crash in South Dakota. According to 12News, the Republican Senator for District 27 was released from the hospital on Dec. 22 after sustaining significant injuries, including a collapsed lung, nine broken ribs, and two fractured vertebrae. In his social media update, Kern described his condition stating, "My body is purple on the right side."
The accident occurred on Dec. 14, when Kern and a friend encountered a snowstorm and their vehicle hit ice, leading to loss of control and the subsequent crash. Kern's journey was primarily for visiting family and friends in the state when the accident took place. Despite his severe injuries, Kern expressed optimism about his recovery, though he noted the impossibility of air travel under his current medical constraints. Kern’s director of communications, Kim Quintero, confirmed the senator's original travel intentions, according to 12News.
While the Senator is navigating his path back to Phoenix, the political landscape continues its own relentless march. Kern, who had served three terms in the state House and was in his first state Senate term, recently vied for a congressional seat. However, his efforts culminated in a lost GOP race for Congressional District 8 against Abe Hamadeh, a detail reported by AZ Central.
His accident and the ensuing recovery process have surely imposed a pause on his political endeavors, yet Kern seems to be approaching his recuperation with a certain steadfastness. "I am out of the critical stage" and making his way back to Phoenix, Kern shared in a social media post captured by AZ Central. But the senator's road to recovery will not just be a literal return to his home state, it will also be a metaphorical journey back to the public service and governance that beckons his contribution.
