Latest news with #BlueFishPediatrics
The Guardian
2 days ago
- Politics
- The Guardian
Doctor who lost job over ‘regrettable' Texas flood post says sorry
A pediatrician who is no longer working for a chain of clinics affiliated with a prominent Houston hospital system after a social media post that wished voters in a Donald Trump-supporting county of central Texas 'get what they voted for' amid flash flooding that killed nearly 120 – including many children – has publicly apologized. 'I speak to you as a mother, a neighbor, a pediatrician, and a human being who is deeply sorry,' Dr Christina Propst wrote after Blue Fish Pediatrics announced on Sunday she was no longer an employee there because of a social media post that the clinic said did 'not reflect the value, standards or mission' of the chain. 'I take full responsibility for a social media comment I made before we knew that so many precious lives were lost to the terrible tragedy in central Texas. 'I understand my comment caused immense pain to those suffering indescribable grief and for that I am truly sorry,' Propst added in a post first reported by the Texas news station KPRC. 'I would like to make clear that my regrettable comment was in no way a response to the tragic loss of human life … and … that is a fact that I deeply regret.' In the post that preceded the end of her time at Blue Fish Pediatrics, Propst alluded to how Kerr county, Texas, on 4 July had – like the state as a whole – voted in favor of Trump as he defeated former vice-president Kamala Harris in November's White House election. Trump's presidential administration has since sought to erase mentions of the ongoing climate crisis and its consequences, one of which is making rainfall like that which devastated Kerr more common. The president has also mused about 'phasing out' the Federal Emergency Management Agency (Fema), in part so that Trump's office could be in charge of distributing disaster relief funds and ultimately 'give out less money'. 'May all visitors, children, non-Maga voters and pets be safe and dry,' said the post, which invoked an acronym for Trump's 'Make America great again' slogan. 'Kerr county Maga voted to gut Fema. They deny climate change. May they get what they voted for.' Residents of Kerr county have since spoken about losing all of their possessions, including their homes, after the flood in question. They have also recounted seeking what have proven to be elusive answers about the level of preparedness from authorities tasked with protecting their communities. Soon, the post made its way to Blue Fish Pediatrics, listed as an independent partner of Houston's well-known Memorial Hermann hospital network. The clinic chain – which was tagged by social media users demanding that it act against Propst – said in a statement that the group was immediately placing the message's author on leave. A statement later said that the post's author was 'no longer an employed' at the chain while expressing 'full support to the families and the surrounding communities who are grieving, recovering and searching for hope'. Many US healthcare providers are required by their employers – as a condition of their employment – to avoid circulating opinions which could undermine trust in their profession among members of the public. 'We strongly condemn the comments that were made in that post,' Blue Fish Pediatrics' statement said. 'That post does not reflect the values, standards or mission of Blue Fish Pediatrics. We do not support or condone any statement that politicizes tragedy, diminishes human dignity, or fails to clearly uphold compassion for every child and family, regardless of background or beliefs.' The clinic chain's statement didn't say whether Propst had resigned or was dismissed. But on Wednesday, KPRC reported that Propst – in part – had since published another post saying she wanted to 'apologize to each and every individual suffering through terrible loss in this difficult time'. 'The comment was mine and mine alone,' Propst's post said, in part. 'Even in these divisive times, some things are and should remain sacred.' The timing of the post that cost Propst her employment caused offense, being published after communities along Texas's Guadalupe River were overwhelmed early on Friday by flash flooding triggered by torrential rain. The river rose 26ft (8 meters) in 45 minutes after 1.8tn gallons of rain fell over a region including Kerr county, Texas, about 90 miles (145km) north-west of San Antonio. As of Wednesday, officials reported that at least 119 people had died, including more than two dozen campers and counselors at the nondenominational Christian institution of Camp Mystic – with more than 160 in Kerr believed to be missing. That made up most of the more than 170 missing in all of Texas as of Wednesday. Kerr county residents who survived the flood have spoken about losing their homes and other possessions. According to a biography at Blue Fish's website which was recently taken offline, Propst is a native of New York who graduated from Princeton University in 1991. She graduated from New Orleans's Tulane medical school, received certifications from the American board as well as academy of pediatrics and spent 17 years in group practice in Houston before joining Blue Fish in 2018.
International Business Times
2 days ago
- Politics
- International Business Times
Christina Propst: Houston Doc Fired for Vile Post Claiming Texas Flood Victims Were Trump Supporters Who 'Got What They Voted For' Issues Apology
The pediatrician who faced backlash after saying that the Texas flood victims were Trump supporters who "got what they voted for" has now issued a groveling apology after being cancelled and fired from her job. Dr. Christina B. Propst said that she is accepting "full responsibility" for her now-viral post, though she partially blamed it to being unaware that "so many precious lives were lost to the terrible tragedy," which claimed the lives of over 100 people, including several children. "I speak to you as a mother, a neighbor, a pediatrician, and a human being who is deeply sorry," the Houston-based children's doctor wrote in a statement shared by KPRC. Apologizing for Her Vile Post "I understand my comment caused immense pain to those suffering indescribable grief and for that I am truly sorry." While maintaining that she made the post before knowing anyone had died, she admitted, "The words were my own, and no matter how they're being interpreted, I truly regret writing them." "I want to apologize to each and every individual suffering through terrible loss in this difficult time." Blaming the backlash on her post "being shared with the false impression that I made it after the devastating loss of life was known," she again conceded, "The comment was mine and mine alone." Propst faced massive backlash over a now-deleted post she made using her old Facebook username, Chris Tina. "May all visitors, children, non-MAGA voters and pets be safe and dry. Kerr County MAGA voted to gut FEMA. They deny climate change. May they get what they voted for. Bless their hearts," Probst wrote. The Facebook post went viral after Libs of TikTok shared a screenshot of it. Propst's employer, Blue Fish Pediatrics, initially said that the employee had been suspended, but later confirmed that "the individual is no longer employed" with the practice. "As we previously mentioned in our original statement, we strongly condemn the comments that were made in that post. That post does not reflect the values, standards, or mission of Blue Fish Pediatrics," the company said. "We do not support or condone any statement that politicizes tragedy, diminishes human dignity, or fails to clearly uphold compassion for every child and family, regardless of background or beliefs," the doctor's office added. Too Late an Apology Her profile was also removed from both the Blue Fish Pediatrics website and the Memorial Hermann Health System site, which is affiliated with Blue Fish Pediatrics. Memorial Hermann also addressed the incident in an official statement. "We are aware of statements made by a physician on social media and strongly condemn these statements. "This provider is not employed by Memorial Hermann. We have zero tolerance for such rhetoric which does not reflect the mission, vision or values of our system," the healthcare system said. Propst said in her apology that her political views have never influenced her decisions or conduct as a healthcare professional. She added that she is "tirelessly committed to children's medical care and would never be so callous as to make such a remark about lives cut so terribly short." She explained that her harsh comments stemmed from "a place of frustration," driven by her belief that stronger systems are needed to better prepare for and respond to disasters like the recent floods. Officials have confirmed at least 118 deaths so far, with more than 160 people still missing — and the death toll is expected to rise.
The Guardian
3 days ago
- Politics
- The Guardian
Doctor who lost job over Texas flood post says sorry for ‘regrettable comment'
A pediatrician who is no longer working for a chain of clinics affiliated with a prominent Houston hospital system after a social media post that wished voters in a Donald-Trump supporting county of central Texas 'get what they voted for' amid flash flooding that killed nearly 120 – including many children – has publicly apologized. 'I speak to you as a mother, a neighbor, a pediatrician, and a human being who is deeply sorry,' Dr Christina Propst wrote after Blue Fish Pediatrics announced Sunday she was no longer an employee there because of a social media post that the clinic said did 'not reflect the value, standards or mission' of the chain. 'I take full responsibility for a social media comment I made before we knew that so many precious lives were lost to the terrible tragedy in central Texas. 'I understand my comment caused immense pain to those suffering indescribable grief and for that I am truly sorry,' Propst added in a post first reported by the Texas news station KPRC. 'I would like to make clear that my regrettable comment was in no way a response to the tragic loss of human life … and … that is a fact that I deeply regret.' In the post that preceded the end of her time at Blue Fish Pediatrics, Propst alluded to how Kerr county, Texas, on 4 July had – like the state as a whole – voted in favor of Trump as he defeated former vice-president Kamala Harris in November's White House election. Donald Trump's presidential administration has since sought to erase mentions of the ongoing climate crisis and its consequences, one of which is making rainfalls like the one that devastated Kerr more common. The president has also mused about 'phasing out' the Federal Emergency Management Agency (Fema), in part so that Trump' office could be in charge of distributing disaster relief funds and ultimately 'give out less money'. 'May all visitors, children, non-Maga voters and pets be safe and dry,' said the post, which invoked an acronym for Trump's 'Make America great again' slogan. 'Kerr county Maga voted to gut Fema. They deny climate change. May they get what they voted for.' Residents of Kerr county have since spoken about losing all of their possessions, including their homes, after the flood in question. They have also recounted seeking what have proven to be elusive answers about the level of preparedness from authorities tasked with protecting their communities. Soon, the post made its way to Blue Fish Pediatrics, listed as an independent partner of Houston's well-known Memorial Hermann hospital network. The clinic chain – which was tagged by social media users demanding that it act against Propst – said in a statement that the group was immediately placing the message's author on leave. A statement later said that the post's author was 'no longer an employed' at the chain while expressing 'full support to the families and the surrounding communities who are grieving, recovering and searching for hope'. Many US healthcare providers are required by their employers – as a condition of their employment – to avoid circulating opinions which could undermine trust in their profession among members of the public. 'We strongly condemn the comments that were made in that post,' Blue Fish Pediatrics' statement said. 'That post does not reflect the values, standards or mission of Blue Fish Pediatrics. We do not support or condone any statement that politicizes tragedy, diminishes human dignity, or fails to clearly uphold compassion for every child and family, regardless of background or beliefs.' The clinic chain's statement didn't say whether Propst had resigned or was dismissed. But on Wednesday, KPRC reported that Propst – in part – had since published another post saying she wanted to 'apologize to each and every individual suffering through terrible loss in this difficult time'. 'The comment was mine and mine alone,' Propst's post said, in part. 'Even in these divisive times, some things are and should remain sacred.' The timing of the post that cost Propst her employment caused offense, being published after communities along Texas's Guadalupe River were overwhelmed early Friday from flash flooding triggered by torrential rain. The river rose 26ft (8 meters) in 45 minutes after 1.8tn gallons of rain fell over a region including Kerr county, Texas, about 286 miles (460km) west of Texas. As of Wednesday, officials reported that at least 119 people had died, including more than two dozen campers and counselors at the nondenominational Christian institution of Camp Mystic – with more than 160 in Kerr believed to be missing. That made up most of the more than 170 missing in all of Texas as of Wednesday. Kerr county residents who survived the flood have spoken about losing their homes and other possessions. They have also said they are trying to get what have proven to be elusive answers about the level of preparedness from authorities in charge of their safety. According to a biography at Blue Fish's website which was recently taken offline, Propst is a native of New York who graduated from Princeton University in 1991. She graduated from New Orleans's Tulane medical school, received certifications from the American board as well as academy of pediatrics and spent 17 years in group practice in Houston before joining Blue Fish in 2018.
New York Post
3 days ago
- Health
- New York Post
Fired doctor grovels after her foul post suggesting flood victims were Trump supporters who got ‘what they voted for' sparked outrage
The pediatrician who claimed the Texas flood victims were Trump supporters who got 'what they voted for' has issued a groveling apology after being canceled and fired. Dr. Christina B. Propst said she is taking 'full responsibility' for her now-viral post — while blaming it in part on her not knowing that 'so many precious lives were lost to the terrible tragedy' that killed more than 100 people, including dozens of kids. 'I speak to you as a mother, a neighbor, a pediatrician, and a human being who is deeply sorry,' the Houston-based children's doc wrote in a statement shared by KPRC. 5 Houston pediatrician Dr. Christina Propst was fired from her job after her social media post went viral. Texas Democrats 5 An officer prays with a family as they pick up items at Camp Mystic in Hunt, Texas on Wednesday, July 9, 2025. AP 'I understand my comment caused immense pain to those suffering indescribable grief and for that I am truly sorry.' While insisting she wrote her post before knowing anyone had died, she acknowledged: 'The words written were mine and regardless of how they are being presented, that is a fact that I deeply regret. 'I want to apologize to each and every individual suffering through terrible loss in this difficult time.' Blaming the backlash on her post 'being shared with the false impression that I made it after the devastating loss of life was known,' she again conceded: 'The comment was mine and mine alone.' Propst sparked widespread outrage from the since-deleted post, posted under her old Facebook username, Chris Tina. 5 The social media post that sparked backlash and led to her firing. 'May all visitors, children, non-MAGA voters and pets be safe and dry. Kerr County MAGA voted to gut FEMA,' she had written. 'They deny climate change. May they get what they voted for. Bless their hearts.' Propst's employer, Blue Fish Pediatrics, announced she was 'no longer employed' in a statement on Monday after she was initially suspended. 5 Dr. Christina Propst issued an apology after her vile post went viral and she lost her job. Blue Fish Pediatrics 'We do not support or condone any statement that politicizes tragedy, diminishes human dignity, or fails to clearly uphold compassion for every child and family, regardless of background or beliefs,' the medical provider said. Propst said in her apology that politics have never impacted her judgment or actions as a medical provider, adding that she is 'tirelessly committed to children's medical care and would never be so callous as to make such a remark about lives cut so terribly short.' 5 Houses and cars are partially submerged in flood waters in an aerial view near Kerrville, Texas. via REUTERS She said her harsh words came from 'a place of frustration' from her belief that better support is needed to prepare and respond to disasters like last weekend's floods. More than 160 people are still missing in the wake of the devastating floods, and at least 118 have died — with that number expected to rise, officials said.
The Guardian
3 days ago
- Health
- The Guardian
Texas pediatrician ‘no longer employed' after post about pro-Trump flood victims
A pediatrician for a chain of clinics affiliated with a prominent Houston hospital system is 'no longer employed' there, according to officials, after a social media account associated with her published a post wishing voters in a Donald Trump-supporting county of Texas 'get what they voted for' amid flash flooding that killed more than 100 people, including many children. 'We were made aware of a social media comment from one of our physicians,' read a statement from Blue Fish Pediatrics circulated late Sunday. 'The individual is no longer employed by Blue Fish Pediatrics.' The statement also said: 'We strongly condemn the comments that were made in that post. That post does not reflect the values, standards or mission of Blue Fish Pediatrics. We do not support or condone any statement that politicizes tragedy, diminishes human dignity, or fails to clearly uphold compassion for every child and family, regardless of background or beliefs.' Blue Fish Pediatrics' statement neither named the physician in question nor specified whether she had resigned or was dismissed. But multiple publicly accessible social media posts identified her as Dr Christina Propst. A Guardian source familiar with the situation confirmed the accuracy of the posts naming Propst. And, at the time it issued the statement, Blue Fish Pediatrics had recently unpublished Propst's biographical page from its website. Attempts to contact Propst weren't immediately successful. The post attributed to Propst prompted many – including on social media – to pressure Blue Fish Pediatrics to take action against her. For one, while they are entitled to the same constitutional free speech rights everyone else in the country is, many US healthcare providers are required by their employers to avoid publicizing opinions which could undermine trust in their profession among members of the public. But the timing of the post also caused offense, coming after communities along Texas's Guadalupe River were overwhelmed early Friday from flash flooding triggered by torrential rain. The river rose 26ft (8 meters) in 45 minutes after 1.8tn gallons of rain fell over a region including Kerr county, Texas, about 286 miles (460km ) west of Texas. As of Monday, officials were reporting more than 90 people had died – with others missing – during the flood. Many of those reported dead were in Kerr county. And many were children, including some who were attending Camp Mystic, a 99-year-old, all-girls, nondenominational Christian institution. In the post that preceded the end of her time at Blue Fish Pediatrics, Propst alluded to how Kerr county had – like Texas as a whole – voted in favor of Trump as he defeated former vice-president Kamala Harris in November's White House election. Trump's administration has since eliminated mentions of the ongoing climate crisis and its consequences, one of which is downpours like the one that devastated Kerr becoming more common. He has also mused about 'phasing out' the Federal Emergency Management Agency (Fema), in part so that the president's office could be in charge of distributing disaster relief funds and ultimately 'give out less money'. 'May all visitors, children, non-Maga voters and pets be safe and dry,' said the post, which invoked an acronym for Trump's 'Make America great again' slogan. 'Kerr county Maga voted to gut Fema. They deny climate change. May they get what they voted for.' The post concluded with the phrase: 'Bless their hearts,' which in the US south is often used as a condescending insult. Kerr county residents who survived the flood have since spoken about losing all of their possessions, including their homes. They have also recounted seeking what have proven to be elusive answers about the level of preparedness from authorities in charge of protecting their communities. In short order, the post made its way to Blue Fish Pediatrics, which is described as an independent partner of Houston's well-known Memorial Hermann hospital network. The clinic chain – which was tagged by users demanding that it act against Propst – said in a statement that the group was immediately placing the message's author on leave. A subsequent statement indicated that the post's author was no longer an employee of the chain while expressing 'full support to the families and the surrounding communities who are grieving, recovering and searching for hope'. Meanwhile, a statement from Memorial Hermann said that the post's author was not directly employed by the network. The statement, though, made it a point to say, 'We … strongly condemn these statements … [and] we have zero tolerance for such rhetoric which does not reflect the mission, vision or values of our system.' Propst's unpublished biography described her as a native of New York who graduated from Princeton University in 1991. She later graduated from New Orleans's Tulane medical school, received certifications from the American board and academy of pediatrics and spent 17 years in group practice in Houston before joining Blue Fish in 2018. According to the unpublished biography, Propst was voted 'best pediatrician' in numerous reader polls conducted by Houston's Bellaire Examiner newspaper.
