Capitol Hill aide recounts near-fatal crash, says adversity ‘story of our country’

FIRST ON FOX: The nation’s story is akin to that of someone who faced adversity in life, North Carolina suggested. Representative Addison McDowell chief of staff, Alex Vargo, 34, who nearly lost his life in a rollover car accident at the age of 16.

Sunday marks the 18th anniversary of the car crash that nearly killed Vargo and helped shape his life after he faced several obstacles following the crash.

Rep. McDowell also faced adversity in his life after losing his brother to a fentanyl overdose, something that the North Carolina Republican says motivates him and his policymaking. During an interview with Fox News Digital, Vargo emphasized how the history of adversity, like the events he and the congressman faced, is very similar to the history of America.

“Our country is not an old country, but I think in our history we’ve been through periods of real hardship — civil wars, massive pandemics that ended our lives — but I think we’re not defined by those tragedies,” Vargo told Fox News Digital. “We are not defined by wars, we are defined by how we came back afterward, by how our country stayed together…The whole story of America is one of triumph. It is one of getting through hard times and coming out the other side.”

Rep. Addison McDowell, right, and his chief of staff, Alex Vargo. (Getty Images/Fox News)

Vargo, who grew up in Pittsburgh, was driving home in the snow one day when, just four days before his 17th birthday, he lost control of his car going down a hill. It left the road, entered a hill, turned around and finally “imploded inward,” the chief of staff said. Half of his left hand ended up being severed and required eight hours of emergency surgery to put it back together.

“People say they’re in shock — this is the first time I’ve really been in shock,” Vargo said. “There are events in your life, not many but a handful, that really shape your view of the world, what your purpose is, and this was definitely one of them.”

Vargo said his focus became more defined after the incident. He underwent months of painful therapy, during which he relearned how to use his hand for things like typing on a keyboard and dribbling a basketball. According to Vargo, he was given a second chance in life and wanted to make good use of it. It was these life experiences that motivated the decision to embark on the “battle of ideas” and become part of the conservative movement.

The current chief of staff has worked in Congress since 2014. First an intern on CapitolVargo quickly rose through the ranks, leading him to serve alongside McDowell in the office of Sen. Ted Budd, R-N.C., while in the House. But Vargo believes his most important mission was his tenure in the Florida Legislature. There, he worked for former House Speaker Paul Renner during the time Florida was hosting the “Session of the Century.”

Rep. Addison McDowell and Alex Vargo met while working for Sen. Ted Budd, above, when he was a member of the House of Representatives. (Al Drago/Getty Images)

“Alex was a vital member of our team as we implemented transformational reforms in Florida. He was a strong advocate during my time as speaker,” Renner told Fox News Digital.

“Together we protected lives, strengthened Florida’s gun laws, and passed the largest expansion of school choice in the nation. He turned his personal trials into triumphs, and I am grateful for his friendship,” Renner continued, referring to Vargo.

Vargo also spent time with several grassroots organizations, such as Heritage Action For America and served as the 2024 campaign manager for Rep. Neal Dunn, R-Fla.

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“Experiencing hardship is not unique to me or to the member of Congress. People are going through hardship, whether it’s within the three-mile radius that we’re in right now, or across the country. I think that’s kind of the story of our country,” Vargo added. “As a country, we’ve been through challenges. But we’re not really defined by our imperfections. We’re defined by our principles and our values.”

When asked if the tragic incident in Vargo had caused him to focus on certain policy areas, he responded in the affirmative, emphasizing health care affordability. Vargo said that through his accident he saw how “great” American health care was, but he also recalled how his experience opened his eyes to “how messed up our system was in terms of financing” health care.

Meanwhile, when asked about specific policy solutions, Vargo highlighted integration between insurance companies, hospital systems, pharmacy benefit managers and pharmaceutical companies.

“They all play a role, but I think we don’t have enough time to advocate for the consumer,” Vargo said.

President Donald Trump stands juxtaposed in this split image next to a podium on the steps of the U.S. Capitol building used by lawmakers to talk about health care reforms and policies. (Getty Images)

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McDowell, who Vargo said experienced far more tragedy from losing his brother than from his car accident, told Fox News Digital that from the first time he met Vargo, he could tell he was “motivated by a cause” like him, whom McDowell described to Fox News Digital as “something bigger than himself.”

“When I had That of President Trump “I called my wife, my political consultant, and then Alex to tell him he would be my boss when I won,” McDowell recalls.

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