NJ
Santorum pauses campaign as daughter is admitted to hospital
Rick Santorum admitted his three-year-old daughter, Isabella, to the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia on Saturday, the campaign said in a statement.
Isabella was born with Trisomy 18, a rare genetic disorder. Most infants with this disorder don’t live to see their first birthday.









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Prayers to the family.
ThePrez on January 29, 2012 at 10:36 AM
I had read about this earlier. Prayers to her and her family.
hawkdriver on January 29, 2012 at 10:36 AM
Echoing the prayers.
BKeyser on January 29, 2012 at 10:37 AM
Any idea about what Obama”care” would do to Isabella?
mkenorthshore on January 29, 2012 at 10:38 AM
Romney will probably say something stupid about this as he tries to appear human. Will be interesting.
abobo on January 29, 2012 at 10:38 AM
Just awful
flyfisher on January 29, 2012 at 10:38 AM
Romney will probably say something stupid about this as he tries to appear human. Will be interesting.
abobo on January 29, 2012 at 10:38 AM
Humanity isn’t his strong suit is it. He often embarrasses himself when he tries to connect with regular people. I’ve met cigar store Indians who were more real.
flyfisher on January 29, 2012 at 10:42 AM
My sister had trisomy 18. I don’t think I could ever vote for Santorum after learning this, because he is basically missing his daughters life- she will not live long. Also, he is leaving his wife to care for a child who needs 24 hour a day care. The stress on our family from this was immense. I can’t imagine how his wife is coping on her own most of the time with all the other children she has- My mother also had many children, and I have to tell you, she was at the hospital so much when my sister was alive that we never saw her. I don’t think this paints a good picture of Santorum at all. It’s not just that he “should be home with his family” at this time, but I know exactly the toll this took on my family, and I wonder if he is avoiding having to deal with it by running. I know my parents were totally out to lunch as parents during this time ( not that I blame them). I am left asking myself, can a man with so much going on at home run the country? Why would he want to?
Kristamatic on January 29, 2012 at 10:43 AM
I’m not particularly a Romney fan, either, but this is unfair. Romney is a strong family man, and I’m sure his heart goes out to the Santorums.
DrMagnolias on January 29, 2012 at 10:43 AM
I wish the best for the Santorum family. Can’t imagine how tough dealing with something like this is, and have it played out in the media. I’ve always thought Isabella is a beautiful name, get well kiddo.
Flange on January 29, 2012 at 10:44 AM
Her prognosis was described to the Santorums when they took her home at birth as grave, or not expected to live. The doctor basically told them they were just caring for her till she died. I would hate to think after she had actually beat the odds so to speak that any care would be denied her based on her condition. Trisomy 18 is what she was born with.
hawkdriver on January 29, 2012 at 10:46 AM
That’s the thing, Flange- This child will not get well- it is something like a miracle that she lived to be three. Trisomy 18 kids can barely breathe on their own. My sister had to be suctioned several times a day. She only lived to 5 months.
Kristamatic on January 29, 2012 at 10:47 AM
My niece had Trisomy (18?) and Monosomy (?). I don’t recall the specific Chromosome numbers she was missing and had extra. Her parents had her for 13 wonderful years and not a day goes by that they don’t miss her and would give ANYTHING in the world to have her back. God has blessed the Santorums, may he continue to do so.
txmomof6 on January 29, 2012 at 10:47 AM
Well said.
hawkdriver on January 29, 2012 at 10:48 AM
Head over to Malkin’s site and watch the video about Bella. She is a beautiful, beautiful ray of light.
Unhinged.
Rational Thought on January 29, 2012 at 10:49 AM
God Bless little Bella.
Dr Evil on January 29, 2012 at 10:52 AM
Thank you, Hawk. Unkindness really bothers me (so why am I on the Internet?).
DrMagnolias on January 29, 2012 at 10:56 AM
It was beautiful and it is a testimony of their love of Bella. I cried. Prayers and blessing to the Santorum Family and little Bella!
melle1228 on January 29, 2012 at 10:58 AM
A question I ask myself. Off to services here.
hawkdriver on January 29, 2012 at 10:58 AM
Rational Thought on January 29, 2012 at 10:49 AM
I wasn’t actually commenting on Mitt’s heartfelt sentiment about Santorum’s child, I was merely commenting on his inability to express his heartfelt sentiment in an authentic way. The few authentic moments I’ve ever seen from the guy were in response to being challenged. He is just as thin-skinned as Obama and occasionally loses his cool. Most of the time he is a poll-tested automaton.
Unhinged is a perfect description of Mitt’s campaign and his merry band of pundit elves lately. Mitt is running a vile, filthy campaign, just as he did in 2008. Many of us are able to see through the smokescreen, even though you can’t. Mitt is playing you. He has many convinced he is something he has never been. He has never been a conservative and he will never be President of the United States of America.
flyfisher on January 29, 2012 at 11:01 AM
Prayers going up for bella and the Santorum family.
tommy71 on January 29, 2012 at 11:02 AM
This is such sad news. Prayers for the family and their precious daughter.
Cindy Munford on January 29, 2012 at 11:03 AM
Kristamatic, sorry for your family’s loss, but I’m not going to not wish her well just because it’s a grave situation.
Flange on January 29, 2012 at 11:04 AM
While I appreciate your family’s struggle coping with your sister’s medical issues it does seem like you’re projecting onto the Santorums how you think they should deal with their family situation because of how yours did. Neither you nor I know what their support system is nor how they emotionally handle this.
katiejane on January 29, 2012 at 11:05 AM
All our prayers, Santorum family. Isabella, fight like a wildcat, we cheer you on.
Limerick on January 29, 2012 at 11:07 AM
May God give strength to the parents and comfort to the child. I will be thinking of them today.
AZgranny on January 29, 2012 at 11:11 AM
You heartless ba$tard. How could you slam Mitt on a highly partisan political website in the middle of a nasty campaign when his precious daughter just went to the hospital?
Wait a minute…
/
May the Lord comfort Isabella, give her doctors wisdom, and wrap His loving arms around the entire Satorum family.
Stayright on January 29, 2012 at 11:18 AM
Flange on January 29, 2012 at 11:04 AM
katiejane on January 29, 2012 at 11:05 AM
Flange, I wish her well too- it’s not that at all. And Katiejame- in a way you are right, I am probably projecting somewhat, I just can’t imagine, knowing how difficult it was, and now being a mother myself, how it would be to have my husband off running for office when my child was so ill. Maybe they are fine with it.
Kristamatic on January 29, 2012 at 11:19 AM
So how long until “they” drag out the hatred for Bella and Rick in the same way “they” showed the hatred for Trig Palin. Surprising it is has not left the bowls of the left to be open yet.
Thought and prayers.
tjexcite on January 29, 2012 at 11:27 AM
Would he “pause” the presidency for this too? Sometimes duty has to take priority over personal affairs, even important ones. I empathize with Rick, but this doesn’t reflect well on his ability to responsibly take on the most important job in the world.
Armin Tamzarian on January 29, 2012 at 11:29 AM
Would he “pause” the presidency for this too? Sometimes duty has to take priority over personal affairs, even important ones. I empathize with Rick, but this doesn’t reflect well on his ability to responsibly take on the most important job in the world.
Armin Tamzarian on January 29, 2012 at 11:29 AM
Unless an attack was imminent, any president should and would. Even Obama.
flyfisher on January 29, 2012 at 11:37 AM
At the very least, it would prevent the insurance companies from labeling her condition “pre-existing” and denying her care.
lester on January 29, 2012 at 11:40 AM
That’s not fair. He doesn’t have those responsibilities yet. Asking him how he’d juggle those responsiblities is a fair question, but inferring he’d not live up to his job based on this isn’t fair.
Flange on January 29, 2012 at 11:43 AM
Flora Duh on January 29, 2012 at 11:49 AM
Lord, have mercy on Isabella. And the family – they’ve already lost one. Let them not go through that pain again.
tommy71 on January 29, 2012 at 11:51 AM
I’m just a noob here. But I think these folks are telling you this is the wrong article to push politics.
smoothsailing on January 29, 2012 at 11:52 AM
If he didn’t go to her side in the hospital, what would you say about him then? That he showed great leadership as a candidate on the campaign trail?
You know your comment is bullshit and you pose a no win standard for him to meet.
smoothsailing on January 29, 2012 at 11:56 AM
flyfisher on January 29, 2012 at 11:01 AM
I’m just a noob here. But I think these folks are telling you this is the wrong article to push politics.
smoothsailing on January 29, 2012 at 11:52 AM
Oh I know that, but this is a website. There is nothing sacrosanct about one digital thread versus another. When Mitt pauses his attacks, I’ll pause mine. And in case some didn’t notice, I said something negative about Romney, not Rick Santorum. Others are openly asking if Rick should even be running or if he would pause the presidency because of his child, yet I’m the bad guy?
At this juncture, I’m supporting Santorum by the way, so my heart and prayers are with him. The daughter of my cousin was born with Trisomy 18 and she lived to the impossible age of eight, so I have at least some idea what the Santorum family is dealing with. I cannot imagine the pressure Rick Santorum feels right now.
flyfisher on January 29, 2012 at 12:06 PM
Great thoughts flyfisher. I still think it just sounds out of place on this article. The comments above I mean.
smoothsailing on January 29, 2012 at 12:11 PM
Heartfelt prayers to the Santorum family.
No doubt assh*les like Alan Combs and Eugene Robinson will use this tragedy to make a political point. Those two like most liberals disgust me.
irishinfidel on January 29, 2012 at 1:34 PM
Take a look at this video from Rick:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y_O_6ycisIE&feature=player_embedded
No matter how this presidential run goes for Santorum, he has a great, loving family and he is a great man. My respect for him increased so much after watching that video.
irishinfidel on January 29, 2012 at 1:45 PM
Prayers for wisdom and guidance for Mr. Santorum and his family.
reaganrules on January 29, 2012 at 1:48 PM
Any idea about what Obama”care” would do to Isabella?
mkenorthshore on January 29, 2012 at 10:38 AM
I’m sure she would be treated to the same warmth and care these parents are experiencing – without ZeroCare even being officially in place.
http://bit.ly/y0wLgy
sabu on January 29, 2012 at 2:24 PM
Could we suspend the politics for a little bit? Show a little respect for the Santorums? It is the liberals who never let a good crisis go to waste. We should be better than that.
Furthermore, the Santorums should be able to make their own family decisions without a bunch of outsiders questioning their decision-making abilities. That is what the left did when they took their daughter home with them before she was laid to rest. No one can decide what is right for the Santorum family except the Santorum family. Everyone else should MTOB.
stevelockridge on January 29, 2012 at 11:14 PM