McGovern recovering in Avera McKennan, visited by Herseth Sandlin

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• Donations requested in lieu of flowers

George McGovern has a black eye and is sore but he is recovering in a Sioux Falls hospital after a fall on the Dakota Wesleyan College campus Friday night.

Julie Ward, director of communications of Avera McKennan Hospital & University Health Centerm in Sioux Falls, said Sunday that McGovern remained in “stable” condition Sunday.

Former South Dakota congresswoman Stephanie Herseth Sandlin visited McGovern at the hospital Saturday.

“He was doing quite well, asking about Max [her husband Max Sandlin] and [their son] Zachary and looking forward to the holidays,” Herseth Sandlin said in an e-mail message.

“He was a bit tired, sore in the area of his left eye and in need of some rest,” she said. “We agreed that his black eye was nothing compared to how badly he’d gotten beaten up at various times throughout his political career. He then proceeded to share with me a very entertaining story from his 1956 race when he was campaigning in Beresford!”

McGovern, 89, struck his head when he fell and landed on a concrete sidewalk near a back door at the McGovern Center around 5:30 p.m. Friday. Witnesses said he suffered a cut over his left eye.

Dr. Michael Elliott, chief medical officer at Avera McKennan Hospital & University Health Center, said Saturday that McGovern was being watched “closely” because of the head injury.

McGovern was injured as he prepared to appear on a live C-SPAN program on his life, career and 1972 presidential campaign.

He fell and struck his head and was treated at the scene before being taken by ambulance to Avera Queen of Peace Hospital, in Mitchell. He was later airlifted to Avera McKennan, in Sioux Falls.

The C-SPAN show continued as scheduled, with two authors discussing McGovern’s career and several video clips and photos of his life and career being shown.

McGovern’s daughter Ann McGovern, who lives in Sioux Falls, was with her father and helped him inside after his fall.

McGovern’s family has expressed gratitude and appreciation for prayers and well wishes. The family has requested complete privacy.

In lieu of sending flowers, the family requests that donations be made to www.feedingsouthdakota.org.

Tags: george mcgovern, stephanie herseth sandlin, dakota wesleyan university, news, fall, hospital, recovery, dwu, cspan