Nebraska Gov. Jim Pillen. Dec. 10, 2024. (Zach Wendling/Nebraska Examiner)
OMAHA — First-term Nebraska Gov. Jim Pillen chose to have surgery Wednesday to repair his broken ribs at the Nebraska Medical Center.
The decision will keep Pillen, 68, in the hospital at least “several more days for recovery and observation” after he was seriously injured Sunday when a new horse he was riding with family members bucked him off.
The surgery, scheduled for late Wednesday afternoon, will elevate Lt. Gov. Joe Kelly to the state’s top job for the roughly four hours while Pillen is incapacitated for the procedure and recovery.
Kelly, also 68, is a former Lancaster County Attorney and a top prosecutor in the Nebraska Attorney General’s Office.
Pillen’s decision to stabilize his broken ribs with metal plates should “promote stronger long-term healing” help with pain management during recovery and “reduce the odds of complications,” the Governor’s Office said in a Wednesday afternoon statement.
“Based on the Governor’s health profile and active lifestyle, his doctors consider him an ideal candidate for this procedure,” the statement said.