Fort Myers Mayor Kevin Anderson recovering after fall, surgery

Less than one week after suffering a fall and then subsequently undergoing surgery, Fort Myers Mayor Kevin Anderson is on the mend. Now, he’s sitting down with WINK News reporter Peter Fleischer to discuss his journey to recovery.

Mayor Anderson was forced to spend a week away from his office in downtown Fort Myers, but he’s already planning his return to his old routine. But, according to mayor Anderson, he never actually stopped working.

“The Mayor doesn’t have to get back to work because he never stopped working with the exception of when he was put under for the surgery,” said Anderson.

Mayor Kevin Anderson assures everyone that he’s been productive from a chair in his living room, with his legs elevated just like the doctor ordered. After he took a nasty fall at a Fort Myers grocery store.

Anderson says his accident happened in the blink of an eye. “Oh, split second. I’m just walking down an aisle, and all of a sudden, I see my foot fly up, and I go crashing down,” Anderson said.

After breaking his femur, Anderson now has two rods in his leg to help with the healing.

And while there’s never a good time for an elected official to take time off, but Anderson said his March was already pretty full. “This month, my calendar was pretty jam-packed. Both work-wise and personal,” said Anderson.

On that jam-packed list are the city-wife water shortage, recent terminations at the police department, and other behind-the-scene business that’s till needs to be tended to.

“It’s disappointing, it’s frustrating, it’s challenging. I could go on and on and on,” said Anderson.

Anderson says he was out of surgery by Saturday night, which was just hours after his fall. Since then, he’s been doing physical therapy at hold and following a strict recovery plan outlined by doctors.

But, Anderson is trying to stay informed in his spare time, eventually making his return much more effortless. “I try to balance it. A lot of phone calls, a lot of emails and texts and work on the laptop,” Anderson said.

Medical professionals have told Anderson his active lifestyle should aid in his healing. “It’s getting easier and easier to get up and move around,” said Anderson. Anderson has called Fort Myers home since the late 1970s.

He says he’s truly had the city’s support since his fall. “It’s been humbling and rewarding at the same time,” said Anderson. “I’m still active, I’m on the road to recovery, and I’m still working hard for them.”

Mayor Anderson told WINK New he’ll be in the office for two to three hours on Monday and hopes to be up to four to five hours in the building by the end of the week.