Sen. John Fetterman, D-Pa., checked himself right into a hospital to “receive treatment for clinical depression,” his chief of staff said Thursday.
Fetterman, the 53-year-old freshman senator who last 12 months suffered a debilitating stroke on the campaign trail, was admitted to Walter Reed National Military Medical Center in Bethesda, Maryland, on Wednesday night, chief of staff Adam Jentleson said in a press release.
“While John has experienced depression on and off throughout his life, it only became severe in recent weeks,” the statement said.
“On Monday, John was evaluated by Dr. Brian P. Monahan, the attending physician of the US Congress,” the chief of staff said. “Yesterday, Dr. Monahan advisable inpatient care at Walter Reed. John agreed, and he’s receiving treatment on a voluntary basis.”
“After examining John, the doctors at Walter Reed told us that John is getting the care he needs, and can soon be back to himself,” Jentleson said.
Fetterman had been hospitalized last week after feeling lightheaded. His doctors determined that he had not suffered one other stroke, his office said on the time.
“After what he’s been through previously 12 months, there’s probably nobody who desired to speak about his own health lower than John,” his wife, Gisele Fetterman, said in a pair of tweets Thursday afternoon. “I’m so pleased with him for asking for help and getting the care he needs.”
She asked for privacy throughout the “difficult time for our family,” adding: “Maintain yourselves. Hold your family members close, you aren’t alone.”
Fetterman missed votes on Capitol Hill on Wednesday night and Thursday, NBC News reported.
Fetterman said in June that he had “almost died” after suffering a stroke in May, shortly before winning his party’s nomination to run for the Senate seat in Pennsylvania that was held by now-retired Republican Sen. Pat Toomey.
The stroke took Fetterman, then the state’s lieutenant governor, off the campaign trail for months. When he made his public return, Fetterman said he was affected by lingering auditory processing and speech issues.
He struggled significantly to deliver clear thoughts during his one and only debate together with his Republican opponent, Dr. Mehmet Oz, in October.
But Fetterman maintained a polling advantage over Oz, a star doctor and TV host backed by former President Donald Trump, even while he was absent from public view.
His victory over Oz within the midterms flipped a red seat blue and helped Democrats extend their slim majority within the Senate.
Sen. Bob Casey of Pennsylvania said he was pleased with his fellow Democrat “for getting the assistance he needs and for publicly acknowledging his challenges to interrupt down the stigma for others.”
It is common for stroke survivors to experience depression, and the cause could also be biochemical or psychological, in accordance with the American Stroke Association.
Fetterman had been frustrated together with his post-stroke health challenges throughout the campaign, his staff has told NBC. His difficulties with communication have also had an impact on his relationship together with his family, as has his time away from them because of his Senate duties, NBC reported.
“Thousands and thousands of Americans, like John, struggle with depression every day. I’m looking forward to seeing him return to the Senate soon,” Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., said in a tweet.
