Todd Palin seriously injured in snowmobile accident
Todd Palin has been hospitalized following a snowmobile accident in Alaska, Donald Trump’s campaign announced on Monday.
A news release sent out by the GOP frontrunner shortly before 1 p.m. said Sarah Palin, the former Alaska governor and 2008 vice presidential nominee, was departing Florida to be with her husband. A Trump event in The Villages, Fla. was subsequently called off.
“Todd Palin was in a bad snow machine accident last night and is currently hospitalized,” Trump’s campaign said in the release. “Governor Palin is returning to Alaska to be with her husband and looks forward to being back on the campaign trail soon. Mr. Trump’s thoughts and prayers are with the Palin family at this time.”
But two hours later, Sarah Palin appeared at a Trump rally in Tampa, where she told the crown her husband's accident made her appreciate the little things like electing Trump.
“Thank you guys for your prayers for my husband who is recovering right now in ICU after a little wreck on a snow machine,” Sarah Palin said before clarifying that it was a “big wreck.”
It wasn't immediately clear why Sarah Palin attended the Tampa rally after the Trump campaign said she was heading home.
Later Monday aftertoon, Palin posted to her Facebook page that she was enroute home:
"Todd is our rock... toughest guy I know. Thank you for your prayers as he recovers following a snowmachine accident last night. You know, your prayers have meant so much to our family over the years and I've not thanked you enough for providing us that shield of faith. God bless you, too!
As any adventurous Alaskan knows, while you may be down, you're never out. I remember Chris Kyle summed up Todd best - "He's Rambo. Straight up Rambo!" On the cross country flights taking me back home now, I'm thinking of all of you, and sincerely appreciating your support.
It was an honor to be with so many patriotic Floridians the past two days; you remind me that when "life happens" and we face challenges as individuals and a nation, it's the strength in unity and a strong faith that let us overcome. Stay strong!"
NBC News reported that Todd Palin was in “a very serious” crash Sunday night and is currently hospitalized in intensive care.
Authorities in Matanuska-Susitna Borough declined to identify the person involved in the snow machine accident, citing medical privacy laws.
"At close to 8 p.m., emergency responders were paged out to a residence on Talkeetna Spur Road," Patty Sullivan, borough spokeswoman, said in an email to Yahoo News. "Two medics from Talkeetna Ambulance with the Matanuska-Susitna Borough transported a person with serious injuries to Mat-Su Regional Medical Center. The accident involved a single snowmobile."
Todd Palin, 51, is a well-known champion snow machine racer. He won the Iron Dog, a roughly 2,000-mile contest, in 1995, 2000, 2002 and 2007. He recently was forced to drop out of the 2016 race when his partner, Shane Barber, experienced engine trouble.
In 2008, Todd Palin suffered bruises when he was thrown roughly 70 feet when his snow machine hit a barrel hidden in the snow during the Iron Dog race, the AP reported.
According to her Facebook page, Sarah Palin traveled to Florida late Saturday to stump for Trump ahead of the state’s primary on Tuesday. She appeared at the Florida Strawberry Festival in Plant City and the Arcadia All-Florida Championship Rodeo on Sunday.
Palin, one of Trump’s most high-profile endorsements, was very popular in Florida during the 2008 presidential campaign.
The Trump statement says Sarah Palin “looks forward to being back on the campaign trail soon.”
(This story has been updated since it first published.)
Jason Sickles is a national reporter for Yahoo News. Follow him on Twitter (@jasonsickles).
