A press conference hosted by Florida Governor Ron DeSantis took an unexpected turn on Tuesday, May 6, when State Senator Ileana Garcia collapsed while speaking on stage, prompting swift medical attention and concern from attendees.
Garcia, who represents Florida’s District 36, was addressing environmental legislation when she began to show signs of distress.
In a moment captured on video by The Florida Channel, Garcia turned toward Governor DeSantis, who was offscreen, and said she was not feeling well and needed to sit down. Moments later, she closed her eyes and began to faint.
Fortunately, Florida Surgeon General Joseph Ladapo was nearby and quickly caught her, easing her into a chair.
Audience members rushed to her side, offering water and support as they tried to determine what had gone wrong. The cause of her fainting spell was not immediately clear.
Despite the incident, Garcia recovered quickly. Within a minute, she returned to the podium and lightened the mood by joking, “Are you kidding? This was my moment,” before confidently finishing her speech.
Governor DeSantis, who was seen at the end of the video smiling, appeared impressed by the senator’s resilience. Garcia’s composure and quick recovery drew praise, with many calling her a “trooper” for continuing despite the health scare.