Harry Whittington facts for kids

Harry Milner Whittington (March 3, 1927 – February 4, 2023) was an American lawyer, real estate investor, and a well-known public figure. He became widely known around the world after an event on February 11, 2006. On that day, he was accidentally shot by then-United States Vice President Dick Cheney during a quail hunting trip in Texas.

Harry Whittington: Helping Texas

Harry Whittington was appointed to several important groups and committees over the years. These included the Office of Patient Protection Executive Committee, which worked to protect the rights of patients in Texas. He also served on the Texas Public Finance Authority Board and the Texas Department of Corrections.

In the 1980s, he played a key role in making big changes to Texas prisons. He helped the state follow a federal court order that said how prisoners were being treated was against the law. Later, in 1999, he was named the leader of the Texas Funeral Service Commission. This happened after a major reorganization of that agency. He was appointed by then-Governor George W. Bush and re-appointed by Governor Rick Perry in 2002.

Property Rights Battle

In 2000, Whittington started a legal fight over a piece of property he owned in Austin. The city wanted to take this land using something called eminent domain. This is when the government can take private property for public use, even if the owner doesn't want to sell it.

After many court hearings, a Texas court decided in 2013 that the city of Austin could have the property. However, the court also ordered the city to pay Whittington $10.5 million as fair payment for his land.

The Hunting Accident

On February 11, 2006, Harry Whittington was accidentally shot by then-Vice President Dick Cheney. This happened during a quail hunting trip. The accident took place on a ranch in south Texas.

What Happened?

Most of the shotgun blast hit the right side of Whittington's body. This included his face, neck, and chest. The shooting also caused one of his lungs to collapse. He was quickly taken to Corpus Christi Memorial Hospital by ambulance. There, he was placed in intensive care.

The accident was not immediately announced to the public. The White House confirmed the incident to a newspaper, the Corpus Christi Caller-Times, about 12 hours after it happened.

After the Accident

A few days later, on February 14, some of the small metal pellets (called birdshot) that were stuck in Whittington's heart caused a minor heart attack. Doctors did not remove all the pellets from his body. They thought there were "less than 150 or 200" pellets in him right after the shooting. About 30 pieces of shot were expected to stay inside him for the rest of his life.

On February 17, Whittington made a public statement. He said, "We all assume certain risks in whatever we do. Accidents do and will happen." After leaving the hospital, he also said, "My family and I are deeply sorry for all that Vice President Cheney and his family have had to go through this week."

After this incident, Whittington went back to his private life. He turned down many requests from the media for interviews. In October 2010, he spoke about the shooting in an article in The Washington Post. Whittington told the newspaper that even though many news outlets called him and Cheney "good friends," they had only met three times in 30 years. They had never been hunting together before. The article also mentioned that Cheney had not publicly or privately apologized to Whittington for the shooting.

His Life and Passing

Harry Whittington married his wife, Mercedes Baker, in 1950. They had four daughters together. He passed away at his home in Austin on February 4, 2023. He was 95 years old. His death was due to problems from a fall he had earlier that year.

See also

In Spanish: Harry Whittington para niños