US Ambassador Douglas Kmiec was yesterday released from Saint James Hospital in Sliema following successful major surgery on December 22 by Joseph DeBono.
The ambassador’s follow-up surgery was necessitated by last summer’s tragic accident in California which seriously injured him and took the lives of two of his closest friends.
The ambassador said he promised his doctor that he would start the New Year with a moderate schedule. Before leaving his “hospital Christmas home” Prof. Kmiec saluted the hospital staff in Maltese which he studied while confined to bed.
He told them: “Happy New Year! Thank you, Saint James Hospital for your care and kindness. It was excellent. I love America and it is natural to miss home – especially California at Christmas.”
He added: “Of course, my California home is now also a place of great sadness for me so it is a mix of emotions. I do grow more convinced that the America I love and the Malta I have come to know are just twins separated at birth. I am honoured to serve my country in Malta.”
The accident happened on August 25, when Prof. Kmiec was driving through the canyons of southern California with Mgr John Sheridan, 94, and Sr Mary Campbell, 74. He lost control of his rented Hyundai Accent that went off the highway, drifted onto a dirt road, smashed into a concrete abutment and struck a drainage ditch.
Sr Mary, who was not wearing her seat belt, died on impact, but cushioned by seat belts and air bags, Prof. Kmiec and Mgr Sheridan had remained conscious. They underwent similar operations to repair perforated colons at UCLA medical centre. Although the ambassador returned to work in Malta in the summer, he still had to undergo one last operation.
In an interview with The Sunday Times in October he had said: “At the moment, you can’t quite see it, but beneath this suit and tie is a lot of tape, bandages and some things I’d rather not have. I’m hoping, and I’m confident the doctors in Malta will be able to look at me... and even though Humpty Dumpty broke himself in California they can put the ambassador back together again.”