Ben Carson experiences 'real life' in the projects - the Neurosurgeon turned Housing and Urban Development Secretary gets stuck in a Miami elevator

  • Ben Carson was trapped for 20 minutes in an affordable housing complex elevator in Overtown, Miami on Wednesday
  • Carson was on a public housing tour and got stuck in the elevator with his wife, Miami-Dade County Public Housing Director Michael Liu and five others
  • Former Miami Heat and NBA star Alonzo Mourning waited for Carson outside the elevator - his non-profit group helped develop the housing complex  

By ZARA RUBIN FOR DAILYMAIL.COM

Published: | Updated:

Ben Carson got a taste of life in affordable housing today, as he and his wife were trapped in an elevator while wrapping up a visit to Miami's Courtside Family Apartments in Overtown.

The couple were joined by Miami-Dade County Public Housing Director Michael Liu and five other people, according to The Miami Herald. 

Carson's trip was stalled for about 20 minutes as firefighters rushed to set him free.

Ben Carson was trapped for 20 minutes in an affordable housing complex elevator in Overtown, Miami on Wednesday. Carson was on a public housing tour and got stuck in the elevator with his wife, Miami-Dade County Public Housing Director Michael Liu and five others

Ben Carson was trapped for 20 minutes in an affordable housing complex elevator in Overtown, Miami on Wednesday. Carson was on a public housing tour and got stuck in the elevator with his wife, Miami-Dade County Public Housing Director Michael Liu and five others

After his rescue, the Neurosurgeon-turned-Housing and Urban Development Secretary proceeded as if nothing had happened, tweeting a picture of himself with former Miami Heat and NBA star, Alonzo Mourning, who waited for him outside

After his rescue, the Neurosurgeon-turned-Housing and Urban Development Secretary proceeded as if nothing had happened, tweeting a picture of himself with former Miami Heat and NBA star, Alonzo Mourning, who waited for him outside

After his rescue, the Neurosurgeon-turned-Housing and Urban Development Secretary proceeded as if nothing had happened, tweeting a picture of himself with former Miami Heat and NBA star, Alonzo Mourning, who waited for him outside.

Mourning's non-profit group helped develop the housing complex, which provides homes for residents making less than 60 percent of the area's median income. 

But social media users have taken to Twitter to mock Carson and the 'ironic' mishap, with one person tweeting: 'So Ben Carson is stuck in a Miami housing project elevator. Maybe now he'll understand why cutting housing funds is a bad idea?'

But social media users have taken to Twitter to mock Carson and the 'ironic' mishap, with one person tweeting: 'So Ben Carson is stuck in a Miami housing project elevator. Maybe now he'll understand why cutting housing funds is a bad idea?'

Another user tweeted: 'Ben Carson getting stuck in an elevator at a public housing building is proof God exists'

Another user tweeted: 'Ben Carson getting stuck in an elevator at a public housing building is proof God exists'

Others used the incident seemingly to mock Carson's intelligence and personality, with one user tweeting: 'What if Ben Carson wasn't really stuck on the elevator and he just forgot to press the down button'

Others used the incident seemingly to mock Carson's intelligence and personality, with one user tweeting: 'What if Ben Carson wasn't really stuck on the elevator and he just forgot to press the down button'

And another: 'The elevator didn't malfunction, Ben Carson just put it to sleep'

And another: 'The elevator didn't malfunction, Ben Carson just put it to sleep'

'Great meeting w/ Alonzo Mourning who is doing great work with low income housing & thanks to the hard working @miamipd and @cityofmiamifire,' Carson tweeted.

But social media users have taken to Twitter to mock Carson and the 'ironic' mishap, with one person tweeting: 'So Ben Carson is stuck in a Miami housing project elevator. Maybe now he'll understand why cutting housing funds is a bad idea?'

Another user tweeted: 'Ben Carson getting stuck in an elevator at a public housing building is proof God exists.' 

Carson was selected by President Donald Trump to head the Housing and Urban Development department with little prior experience in the housing sector. During his confirmation process, he pledged to go on a listening tour to gather the best ideas from around the country.

On his national 'listening tour' to hear from the people and organizations who rely on and support public housing, Carson stops to play pool with Luis Figueroa at Collins Park

On his national 'listening tour' to hear from the people and organizations who rely on and support public housing, Carson stops to play pool with Luis Figueroa at Collins Park

Luis Figueroa (L) and Armando de la Noval look on as U.S. Housing and Urban Development Secretary Ben Carson takes a shot on the pool table as he visits Colllins Park apartment complex on April 12

Luis Figueroa (L) and Armando de la Noval look on as U.S. Housing and Urban Development Secretary Ben Carson takes a shot on the pool table as he visits Colllins Park apartment complex on April 12

But some local residents were not pleased with the tour, with protesters outside as Carson visited the Liberty Square apartment complex 

But some local residents were not pleased with the tour, with protesters outside as Carson visited the Liberty Square apartment complex 

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