Rick Santorum Daughter Makes Miraculous Recovery

Rick Santorum canceled campaign events in Florida to be at home with his daughter, Bella, who was hospitalized with pneumonia, but now he says she has made a "miraculous turnaround" and will be released from the hospital this week.

Politico reports on a Sunday evening telephone town hall:

"Life for the Santorum family has improved dramatically since this afternoon," he said. "We've still got a long way to go, but she's without a doubt turned a corner."

Santorum canceled three Sunday campaign stops in Florida so he could care for his daughter. He announced on the call that he plans to return to the campaign trail on Monday if Bella continues to improve. But he was noncommittal about whether he'll return to Florida, and specifically whether he'll attend a scheduled event at a Boca Raton synagogue on Monday morning.

"We're going to get back on the campaign trail probably later tomorrow," he said.

Santorum tweeted on Monday, "Thank you @GovernorPerry, @MittRomney, @SarahPalinUSA, and the many others who prayed for Bella's recovery. You are all such a blessing."

Bella, 3, has the genetic disorder has Trisomy 18, which causes most children to die before the age of 1. Santorum has talked about the challenges of campaigning with a seriously ill child at home, and says he's trying to make the country better for his children.

 

 

Comments

[spykemanne]

12:23 AM on 02/03/2012

If I got fired five years ago and had to find medical insurance for my family and Trisomy 18 daughter, it wouldn't be cheap.

I feel bad for the Santorum family. I wish Mr Santorum were more sympathetic and moderate with his healthcare policy.

In a sense, he is "blessed" to have great insurance when many are un-insured

[Deb Steiner]

10:56 PM on 02/01/2012

having posted an earlier statement about how lucky they are that their daughter is fine due to great care and the health benefits garunteed to him as a public servant. I find my greatest concern is if he should win the position of president (highly doubtful) how many meetings, crisis, enviriomental disasters would he have to place on hold to take care of further medical crisis. Mr Santorum if your family is your priority then make it so. The rest of us don't have the luxury of waiting for you to return to work. Your family distractions should be your priority not the nations

[sdavi831]

12:15 PM on 02/01/2012

As a mother of twin daughters who lost their battle with Trisomy 18 I am both overwhelmed with joy that Bella has made such a miraculous recovery, and appalled some of the comments posted below. All politics aside, her triumph over the pneumonia IS a MIRACLE! Please educate yourself before posting such negative comments about this family, as traditional and even aggressive treatments for pneumonia likely fail with Trisomy 18 children. In fact, these babies usually lose their battle to Trisomy 18 within the first days( and sometimes minutes) of their lives. Please read even one story from a parent of a T18 child before posting and you will then appreciate what a miracle Bella is. I could only wish that my girls would have lived until their 3rd birthday. And for those of you posting about the healthcare situation, I understand your frustrations as I currently am struggling with no insurance for my family, but when my girls were born and treated by some of the best doctors in the country I had excellent insurance/ healthcare coverage and it still didn't save them. May God continue to bless the Santorum family! For more info on Trisomy 18 please visit trisomy18.org and to read our story visit trisomy18.org/goto/abigailandemily

[rudydiaz64]

01:53 PM on 01/31/2012

“There is no place in this for the attacks on Santorum. The article is about his daughter getting better and wishing her so. These people should be ashamed at themselves for going or even mentioning their political views. That is whats wrong with our country, there is no compassion and considerat­­ion towards one another. Bottom line we are all Americans and should stand together for the better good of the Nation, Not take shots every chance we get, We need to be united not divided when it comes to our great Nation. But it seems the political parties have everyone so brainwashe­­d, The only thing we care about is who wins and who loses. When what we should be doing is finding a solution for our problems. I wish the Santorum family the best in their continued struggle against their daughters illness. God bless Them ,Us and America.”

[ddddddd dddddd]

01:41 PM on 01/31/2012

Why is is a violation of HuffPo guideliens to question the integrity of a "presidintial candidate" who takes money from the health insuracne lobby and has FREE healthcare paid by the taxpayers and then has the gall to turn around and tell taxpayers that health care reform and affordable health insurance for MY family is WRONG isn't being a TOTAL HYPOCRITE?

[jayjay4142]

10:56 AM on 01/31/2012

I am so glad that your daughter is OK. Maybe now you can understand how parents without health insurance feel when their children are ill. Yes and many of them believe in God. If you have no empathy for those people, then you are not very well read on the teachings of Jesus.

[gavrielle]

10:48 AM on 01/31/2012

It's a good thing for Bella her dad's got that socialized medicine provided by the US Congress for all current and former members. Whew! Think what might have happened if her parents had no health insurance, or they were on Medicaid and there were cutbacks.

[bonatay]

09:55 AM on 01/31/2012

Indeed good news for the Santorums. I wish the family well.

Mr. Santorum other families are waiting for the same healthcare treatment and their miracle.

[bola47]

08:35 AM on 01/31/2012

recovery from pneumonia is not miraculous, you recover because of anti-biotics.

[aquarius021793]

07:35 AM on 01/31/2012

If GOD did anything in this situation, it was taking Santorum and forcing him to pause his campaigning. No, but really... it wasn't miraculous, thank the doctors.

[Rich914]

06:50 AM on 01/31/2012

Very happy for the Santorums. Thank God.

[tccat4]

06:19 AM on 01/31/2012

I'm glad that Bella is feeling better.
But if this was any of us, we would be going bankrupt, with the cost of having a child with special medical disease. Time for the Capitol Hill Elite, get on the same bandwagon their are pushing down Americans throats for medical care. If it wasn't for their medical coverage in the house and senate, Santorum and his family would be needing food stamps to survive.

[dan laurie]

05:08 AM on 01/31/2012

The "miracle" is probably called antibiotics, though an electoral "miracle" is likely what he wants. And it is so sad to have a sick child. Yet he's cited that child as a blessing to further an anti-abortion platform, while at the same time wanting to deny other sick children needed medical coverage. The real "miracle" would be if the mentality of people like this would miraculously shift.

[ProChoiceGrandma]

05:00 AM on 01/31/2012

Little Bella has frequently been hospitalized before and Santorum has previously cancelled campaign events due to her poor health stemming from her Trisomy 18 genetic condition. So call me a skeptic, but the only thing I find "miraculous" about Bella's quick recovery is that it occurred just AFTER Santorum was to appear on Meet The Press, thereby avoiding having to answer any questions about his outrageous statement that a pregnancy caused by a RAPIST is a "gift from God".
http://politicalgates.blogspot.com/2012/01/whatever-rick-santorum-may-think.html

I wonder if Rick Santorum ever praises the doctors or the SCIENCE that gave the doctors the ability to prolong Bella's life? Why bother taking her to the hospital when beads and prayers cures everything, eh?

[BlackPrincess]

04:40 AM on 01/31/2012

I am overjoyed to hear of Bella's MIRACULOUS recovery and will continue to keep her in my prayers.