Second Lady Usha Vance Almost Falls Off Helicopter Stairs in Scary Moment While Holding 11-Week-Old Son

The vice president and second lady brought their youngest children on a trip to a Republican National Committee rally in Anchorage, Alaska

NEED TO KNOW

• Usha Vance nearly stumbled while holding her infant son, Alec, in a baby carrier as she exited a helicopter on Monday, Oct. 5
• The second lady quickly regained her footing and soothed her son before Vice President JD Vance and their daughter, Mirabel, joined her
• The Vance family traveled to Anchorage, Alaska, for a Republican National Committee rally

Usha Vance nearly stumbled while exiting a helicopter at Joint Base Andrews in Prince George’s County, Maryland on Monday, Oct. 5.

The second lady had 10-week-old infant Alec Neel Vance strapped to her chest in a baby carrier at the time, according to USA Today. Usha, 40, and Vice President JD Vance share four children, including baby boy Alec, 9-year-old son Ewan, 6-year-old son Vivek, and 4-year-old daughter Mirabel.

Usha held onto a banister as she nearly tripped on one of the staircase steps but quickly regained her footing as she cradled Alec. She turned to the banister, took a second to compose herself and soothe Alec, then smiled at the nearby officer.

Usha continued to smile at the officer as she patted Alec’s back, while the pair waited for the vice president, 42, and Mirabel to exit the helicopter.

The family then walked over to the nearby jet. The Vance family joined the vice president on a trip to Anchorage, Alaska, where he is set to speak at a Republican National Committee rally in support of Senator Dan Sullivan, who is currently up for reelection.

The Monday flight marks one of Usha’s few appearances since giving birth to Alec on July 19. While pregnant, she announced a new podcast called Storytime with the Second Lady as part of her work on childhood literacy.

“I have a long-standing interest in education,” Usha told NBC News at the time. “It was something that I was very involved in in college, both sort of lightly in the education policy area, but I volunteered in schools all the time.”

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Usha’s pregnancy with Alec marked the second known time a second lady has been pregnant in the role. Usha followed Ellen Colfax — the wife of Ulysses Grant’s vice president, Schuyler Colfax — who had a son in 1870, one year after assuming the role.

Vance and Usha first announced they were expecting a fourth child in an Instagram post on Jan. 20. They shared the birth of their baby boy on July 19 in a joint Instagram post.

“We are excited to announce that our baby boy, Alec Neel Vance, was born this morning,” read the post. “Usha and the baby are happy and healthy, and our kids are overjoyed to meet their little brother.”

They added, “The incredible military doctors and staff members of Walter Reed Medical Center and the White House Medical Unit have been a blessing. We are deeply thankful for all they have done for our family.“