Is John Fetterman OK? Pennsylvania senator hospitalized after feeling dizzy during party retreat
WASHINGTON, DC: Pennsylvania Democrat and Senator John Fetterman came back from the brink of death after suffering a nearly fatal stroke before winning his seat last year. The 53-year-old was again admitted to the hospital on Wednesday, February 8, after feeling lightheaded while attending a Democratic Senate retreat in Washington.
Fetterman spent his second night in the hospital yesterday as the doctors monitored him for signs of seizure, his spokesman said. The medics have already ruled out the possibility of another stroke based on MRI and other tests. The spokesperson added that there had been no signs of seizure as of yesterday night.
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After the stroke in May just days prior to the Democratic primary, Fetterman had experienced auditory processing issues. He has relied on closed captioning to help him communicate since then. During the midterm elections, he continued his campaign in one of the most competitive and closely watched Senate races in the nation.
Fetterman had a pacemaker and defibrillator implanted after his stroke. According to his doctors, he did not suffer any cognitive damage. The former mayor of Braddock said that he was slowly improving even though he sometimes dropped and slurred words.
Win against all odds
Fetterman's Republican opponent Dr Mehmet Oz had tried to capitalize on the Democrat's health in an attempt to revive his struggling candidacy. Meanwhile, Republicans and other conservative talk show hosts persistently raised doubts about his capability and asked if he was fit enough to serve the people. Fox News’ Tucker Carlson called him “unapologetically brain damaged” while many Republicans accused him of exaggerating his health conditions.
Fetterman ultimately emerged as the winner in the race by five points. “There are a lot of people out there who understand disability, and understand struggle, and he won big,” said Senator Bob Casey, Democrat of Pennsylvania, according to The New York Times.
What did Tucker Carlson say?
Carlson continued to lash out against Fetterman despite the latter remaining hospitalized. “Sad, but also, you wonder, what is going on?” Carlson said, citing the fact that many people wondered if he was up to the job when he came to Congress.
Fetterman has been partaking in committee hearings and caucus lunches since arriving in the Senate in January. He also frequently met with constituent groups and fellow senators. He attended President Biden’s State of the Union address on Tuesday night and was participating in a daylong party retreat at the Library of Congress when he felt lightheaded and decided to get help at George Washington University Hospital.
