Reese Witherspoon’s father, John Draper Witherspoon, was reportedly rushed to a Nashville hospital on Friday after being found face down near the pool at his condominium building.
Page Six reported on Friday, August 7, that John, 84, was discovered on the concrete outside Windsor Tower. His current condition has not been disclosed, and Reese had not publicly addressed the incident as of publication.
Reese Witherspoon’s Father Found Near Nashville Condo Pool
A resident reportedly spotted John from a balcony and contacted the building’s front desk. The doorman and building manager then went to the pool area, where they found him lying face down.
“The doorman and building manager rolled him over, and they said, ‘Dr. Witherspoon, are you OK?’” a source told Page Six.
The source said John blinked after staff turned him over and was then taken to the hospital. It remains unclear how long he had been on the ground or what caused the medical emergency.
Reese Witherspoon Confirms Her Father Is ‘Fine Now’ After Fall
GettyNashville Metro confirmed to Page Six that emergency personnel responded to a medical incident at Windsor Tower on Friday and transported one person to a hospital. Officials did not identify the patient.
Reese has shared a reassuring update about her father a few hours after the news of her father’s accident was made public.
“Earlier today, several outlets reported that my dad was taken to the hospital after a fall. I want to let everyone know that he is fine now. He is being taken care of by wonderful doctors and nurses,” Reese wrote via her Instagram Stories obtained by EntertainmentNow.
“Thank you to everyone who reached out. It means the world to our family.”
Her statement offered the first confirmation that John’s hospitalization followed a fall.
Reese did not provide additional details about his injuries or say when he could be released from the hospital.
Reese Witherspoon Was Raised by Parents in Medical Field
John and his wife, Mary Elizabeth “Betty” Witherspoon, raised Reese and her older brother, also named John, in Nashville.
Medicine played a central role in the household. According to People, Betty worked as a nurse, while John built a career as an otolaryngologist, a physician specializing in conditions affecting the ears, nose, and throat. John also served as a lieutenant colonel in the United States Army Reserve.
Shortly after Reese was born in New Orleans, the family moved to Wiesbaden, Germany, where he was stationed while fulfilling his military obligation during the Vietnam War era.
The family remained in Germany for approximately four years before returning to the United States and settling in Nashville.
Reese Witherspoon Has Kept Her Father Largely Out of the Spotlight
GettyReese has spoken warmly about her Southern upbringing but has generally kept her relationship with John private. He has appeared far less frequently on her social media accounts than Betty.
Both parents attended the 2006 Academy Awards, where Reese won Best Actress for portraying June Carter Cash opposite Joaquin Phoenix in “Walk the Line.” The performance marked one of the defining moments of the “Legally Blonde” star’s career.
Reese shared a rare glimpse of John in a Father’s Day post in 2020. The photo, posted to her Instagram Stories, showed the two walking together and included the simple caption, “Hey Dad!”
John and Betty separated in 1996 but remained legally married. In 2018, Betty said they had reconciled and were once again living together.
The family has not shared any further updates about John following Friday’s reported hospitalization.
I hope he’s in St. Thomas West. It’s across the street from his condo. It’s a great hospital!