Indiana Rep. Jim Baird\u2019s wife Danise died early Sunday from \u201ccomplications\u201d related to more than a dozen fractures she sustained in a hit-and-run car crash in early January.<\/p>\n
The congressman and his wife were both originally expected \u201cto be okay\u201d after a \u201cpretty bad\u201d car crash while returning to Washington, DC on Jan. 5, President Trump announced<\/a> ahead of a House Republican policy retreat the following day.<\/p>\n Baird\u2019s office confirmed the matriarch\u2019s passing in a heartbreaking statement shared Sunday morning.<\/p>\n \u201cCongressman Baird and Danise were married for 59 years, building a life centered on faith, family, and service. A devoted wife and loving mother of three, she was the foundation of their family and will be deeply missed. We ask that you keep the Congressman and his family in your prayers during this difficult time,\u201d his office wrote.<\/p>\n Indiana Rep. Jim Baird\u2019s wife, Danise, died early Sunday morning. Beau Baird\/Facebook<\/p>\n The couple was in a car crash in early January. Facebook \/ Congressman Jim Baird<\/p>\n The couple, who were \u201chigh school sweethearts,\u201d share three children, according to\u00a0the biography on the Republican\u2019s congressional office website.<\/p>\n They were both hospitalized in the aftermath of the devastating crash. <\/p>\n Baird, 80, was released from the hospital on Jan. 6, but wore a neck brace for a few weeks after. Danise, who sustained a staggering \u201c15 breaks and fractures,\u201d was discharged on Jan. 12, their son Beau Baird confirmed in a post on Facebook<\/a>.<\/p>\n Baird was released from the hospital the day after the car crash. Facebook \/ Congressman Jim Baird<\/p>\n Beau \u2014 who claimed his father\u2019s Indiana\u00a0legislative seat when the elder Baird departed for the US House of Representatives \u2014 posted on Feb. 1 that Danise had taken her \u201cfirst assisted steps\u201d since the crash. In the optimistic post<\/a>, he noted that the family knew \u201cthere\u2019s still a road ahead.\u201d<\/p>\n Beau said that he\u2019d primarily been sharing updates on his father because Danise \u201cis a very private person\u201d with \u201ca long recovery ahead of her.\u201d<\/p>\n Then, on Sunday, Beau posted<\/a>: \u201c3\/1\/26 6:31:10 am\u201d \u2014 the date and time of Danise\u2019s passing \u2014 ahead of his father\u2019s official confirmation of her death.<\/p>\n Jim and Danise Baird were married for 59 years. CQ-Roll Call, Inc via Getty Images<\/p>\n Many politicians offered up their prayers on the Baird family\u2019s behalf. <\/p>\n \u201cJim\u2019s wife Danise was often by his side as he worked so hard in Congress on behalf of his constituents. They are salt of the earth people and Jim and his family have sacrificed so much for our country,\u201d New York Rep. Elise Stefanik wrote on X.<\/a><\/p>\n \u201cOur sympathies and condolences to Jim and his family. We admire them both and their 59 years of marriage. I enjoyed getting to know Danise, and we\u2019ll hold Jim in our prayers,\u201d Nebraska Rep. Don Bacon wrote.<\/a><\/p>\n