The commandant of the Marine Corps made his first public-facing look Tuesday since being sidelined by a cardiac arrest final month.
In a video tackle to Marines posted on Instagram, Gen. Eric Smith, the highest Marine officer, assured them that he’s recovering and is “nonetheless within the struggle.”
Smith collapsed close to his residence in Washington, D.C., on Oct. 29 and, after three weeks within the hospital, was launched final week to organize for surgical procedure to deal with an underlying coronary heart situation that medical doctors mentioned straight contributed to his cardiac arrest.
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“I am nonetheless within the struggle; I want you to be within the struggle,” Smith mentioned in a short video, thanking Marines for his or her assist as he recovers.
“It isn’t the primary time I have been knocked down, he mentioned. “Once I was shot in 2004, I bounced again from that. I am going to bounce again from this.”
Smith was shot within the left leg within the spring of 2004 throughout a deployment to Iraq, in accordance with The Washington Put up. He was wounded alongside different Marines throughout an ambush that killed a 19-year-old non-public first-class, however finally determined to remain in Iraq regardless of his leg needing surgical procedure months later, the publication reported.
Final week, the Marine Corps introduced that Smith had been launched from the hospital and was recovering at his residence, getting ready for a surgical procedure to restore a bicuspid aortic valve in his coronary heart. Smith was standing and didn’t seem to want any help within the temporary video launched Tuesday.
Maj. Joshua Larson, a spokesperson for the commandant, instructed reporters by way of e mail Tuesday that Smith is “not but again to full-duty standing.”
The message, which was billed as a Thanksgiving tackle to Marines as they head into the vacation, was Smith’s first look because the Marine Corps Marathon late final month, the identical day he suffered a cardiac arrest. Previous to Tuesday, the Corps issued statements by way of press launch on Smith’s situation.
“The world is unsure, and I have been reminded lately that we won’t take something as a right, however as Marines, we should be sure of 1 factor — that we’ll all the time have one another,” Smith mentioned within the video’s caption. “Thanksgiving is a superb time to reaffirm our dedication to our fellow Marines and the core values that bind us collectively.”
Smith wrote that he could be again within the struggle quickly. As of final week, the Corps didn’t have a timeline for when that will happen. Gen. Christopher Mahoney, the assistant commandant of the Marine Corps, has been performing the duties of the commandant in Smith’s absence.
“I do know you may proceed to have one another’s again, however I would additionally problem you to search for alternatives to do much more,” Smith mentioned within the posted caption. “That is the time of 12 months when a few of us will want just a little extra. If this have been fight, I do know every of you’ll do extraordinary issues to assist a fellow Marine. I want you to do this in garrison, too.”
— Drew F. Lawrence will be reached at drew.lawrence@navy.com. Comply with him on X @df_lawrence.
