Yahoo-Washington (AFP) – Republican Ben Carson temporarily suspended his US presidential bid Tuesday when four members of his campaign team were in a serious car accident in Iowa, where the first votes in the nomination process will be cast.
A van transporting the group “hit apatch of ice and flipped on its side where it was struck by another vehicle,” Carson’s campaign said in a statement.
One volunteer was being transported to a trauma center in Omaha, Nebraska, while three others including a campaign staffer who was driving the vehicle were being checked at an Iowa hospital.
“I’m suspending all campaign activities today due to a car accident involving members of our team,” Carson said on Twitter.
I am so sorry to hear this. I pray for all involved. God speed, Dr. Carson, you have made the right decision.
That’s too bad Dr. Carson is a good man. They need prayers.
Prayers for everyone involved.
He suspended his campaign to go see to his folks.
That made a high mark with me.
He may not be President material…yet.
But I would take a bullet for that guy.
I hope all involved in the accident recover fully.
If it is that serious there will be a reconstruction. If there is no reconstruction, then it is just a bodily injury collision…relax, and get back to work.
Braden Joplin has died. So sad. Y’all please say a prayer for him.
God, please bless all the victims, their families and friends.
From Dr. Carson:
Dr. Ben Carson
One of the precious few joys of campaigning is the privilege of meeting bright young men and women who are so enthusiastic about their country that they will freely give of their time and energy to work on its behalf. America lost one of those bright young men today. I had the privilege of knowing Braden Joplin personally, and am filled with a deep and profound sadness at his passing. While we mourn this profound loss, I am thankful that our other campaign colleagues, Drew McCall, Aaron Ohnemus and Ryan Patrick Shellooe, have all been treated and released from the hospital.
A presidential candidate asks a lot of his or her volunteers, working long hours in the cold, under-appreciated. They are the unsung heroes of the political process. The outpouring of support for Braden and his family from fellow candidates, as well as their staffs and volunteers, demonstrates that life will always transcend politics, and I thank them for their kind words. Please continue to keep Braden’s family and friends in your prayers as they struggle through this difficult time.
Even after more than 30 years experience counseling parents and family members in the most difficult of times, it never gets easier. But I find solace in the knowledge of God’s redeeming grace, and I pray that Braden’s family finds comfort in the mercy of the Lord. Across America today, I ask everyone to take a moment to reflect on the preciousness of life and remember and honor the memory of Braden Joplin.