WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. — Florida first lady Casey DeSantis made her first public appearance Saturday since her breast cancer diagnosis, telling a crowd of Republicans that she's "sure as hell not giving up."
DeSantis made a surprise appearance during a Republican fundraiser in Hernando County.
Her husband, Gov. Ron DeSantis, introduced her, saying she's "doing so well that she wanted to come here tonight and say hello to you."
I am so proud of Casey for her strength and courage as she stares down breast cancer. What an inspirational message! pic.twitter.com/dTzL4iZ62k
— Ron DeSantis (@RonDeSantisFL) October 18, 2021
She was greeted to a standing ovation.
"I hear when you get a standing ovation before you even walk in the door, you should probably just leave," the first lady joked.
She then thanked everyone for all the support she's received.
"I don't want to start tearing up because I didn't put on waterproof mascara," she said.
Casey DeSantis then turned to politics.
"I think there's a lot that we can be upset about, that we can be sad about -- the direction of our country, the future of our nation, our families, our communities, our safety, our children, their education, their futures, our health and our well-being," she said. "But I'll tell you, one thing is for sure. I'm sure as hell not giving up."
She vowed to "never, ever, ever give up the fight, ever."
The governor's office announced Casey DeSantis' cancer diagnosis on Oct. 4. The governor said last week that his wife is "tough" and has "basically resigned that, you know, better she has to go through it than others who may not be able to handle it as well. That's why I love her. She's an exceptional person."
Casey DeSantis ended her brief speech by quoting her husband.
"To steal some lines from the strongest, most courageous person I have ever met in my life, who is my husband, to steal some lines from him: I have only begun to fight," she said.