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George Washington Univ; Emergency Medical Center
This is the George Washington University Emergency Medical Center. This is where Ronald Reagan was brought on March 30, 1981 after he was shot by John Hinckley Jr outside the Washington Hilton Hotel. Press Secretary Jim Brady suffered severe brain damage during the attack and two others were also wounded.
Reagan was wheeled into surgery and a team of trauma specialists worked for several hours to save his life. This team is always on call for just such a national emergency. Although the press reported the wound as non-threatening, it turned out that only the team's brilliance prevented Reagan from dying on the operating table.
At the tenth anniversary of the shooting, Reagan returned to be honored by the university. At the event, the university announced the establishment of "The Ronald Reagan Institute for Emergency Medicine." This is now an educational and research center for the development of emergency medical treatments.
At the event, Reagan (a card-carding National Rifle Association member) surprisingly announced that he supported the "Brady Bill," legislation pushed tirelessly by James and his wife Sarah to require a seven-day waiting period for the purchase of handguns. Reagan's support was critical for the bill and it was passed in May 1991. |