US President-elect Donald Trump has appointed Dr. Janette Nesheiwat, 48, as the nation’s new Surgeon General. A celebrated medical expert frequently featured on Fox News, Dr. Nesheiwat is widely respected for her expertise and passion for healthcare. However, a haunting chapter from her childhood has recently resurfaced in the media.

According to The New York Times, Dr. Nesheiwat accidentally shot her father, Ben Nesheiwat, when she was just 13 years old.

The incident occurred in their Orlando, Florida, home in 1990. As per the police report, she was reaching for a pair of scissors in her father’s bedroom when a fishing tackle box on a shelf tipped over, causing a .38-caliber handgun inside to discharge. The bullet struck her father in the head, and he was declared dead the following day.

The coroner ruled the incident an “accidental shooting.” Dr. Nesheiwat later described the traumatic event in her memoir, Beyond The Stethoscope, but did not explicitly reference her role in her father’s death. Instead, she highlighted how witnessing his tragic death inspired her to pursue a career in medicine.

“When I was 13 years old, I helplessly watched my dear father dying from an accident as blood was spurting everywhere. I couldn’t save his life. This was the start of my personal journey in life to become a physician,” she wrote.

Despite the tragedy, Dr. Nesheiwat’s achievements in medicine have earned her widespread acclaim. She is set to take on the role of Surgeon General with a vision of improving healthcare access and outcomes for Americans.