Fuhrman Says Long Rehab Won't End His Re-Election Run

Menifee City Council Member Tom Fuhrman, who sustained major injuries in a fall while working on his ranch July 12, said today a lengthy recovery will not keep him from running for re-election this fall.

Fuhrman has been moved from Inland Valley Medical Center in Wildomar to a rehabilitation center in Fallbrook. In a phone interview Friday, he said he expects to remain in the center for a few weeks. Fuhrman is recovering from several broken ribs, a dislocated shoulder, broken clavicle, punctured lung and bruised kidney.

The injury occurred when Fuhrman fell off a ladder while he was cutting limbs off a tree on his ranch on the west side of Menifee.

"I feel 200 percent better than a week ago, but I'm still not able to walk more than 50 feet," Fuhrman said. "I sit up for 15 minutes, then I'm back to a lateral position."

Even so, Fuhrman is going ahead with plans to run for re-election as City Council representative to District 2 in November. Although candidates have only until Aug. 8 to complete the application process, Fuhrman had papers delivered to him in the hospital by City Clerk Kathy Bennett. He then had his daughter declared as the legal designee to circulate the petition he needs with the required signatures to run for office.

"The reason the Lord didn't take me is because Menifee still needs me," Fuhrman quipped.