BREAKING NEWS: Senator John Fetterman is rushed to hospital after ‘feeling lightheaded’ as doctors check if he’s suffered another stroke
- The Pennsylvania politician started feeling ill while on a Senate retreat
- He was taken to George Washington University Hospital this evening
- Fetterman, who has previously suffered a stroke, is undergoing tests in hospital
Senator John Fetterman was rushed to hospital on Wednesday night after ‘feeling lightheaded.’
The Pennsylvania Democrat, who suffered from a stoke on May 13 last year, is currently undergoing tests under medical supervision at the George Washington University Hospital in Washington DC.
A spokesperson for the politician, 53, said on Wednesday night: ‘Towards the end of the Senate Democratic retreat today, Senator John Fetterman began feeling lightheaded.
‘He left and called his staff, who picked him up and drove him to The George Washington University Hospital.
‘Initial tests did not show evidence of a new stoke, but doctors are running more tests and John is remaining overnight for observation. He is in good spirits and talking with his staff and family.’
Senator John Fetterman was rushed to hospital late on Wednesday night, his spokesperson confirmed. He will stay under doctor supervision overnight as he undergoes medical testing. He is pictured during the State of the Union speech on February 7, 2023
Sen. John Fetterman with his wife Gisele Barreto Fetterman pictured on Tuesday, January 17, 2023
Fetterman suffered his stroke in May, days before Pennsylvania’s Democratic primary, but he still won the race handily.
The stroke, which almost killed him, kept him sidelined for months from the campaign trail in his race against the Trump-backed Republican, Dr. Mehmet Oz, the former television personality.
His stroke was caused by a heart condition, it was later revealed.
The Democrat was able to win the office in part because of some creative trolling of Oz from his team, as the Republican spent decades living in New Jersey before his Keystone State Senate run.
His shaky debate performance – which highlighted his unusual speech patterns and auditory processing issues leftover from the stroke – rattled some Democrats, as it gave Oz an opening to win.
But on election night, the race was called for Fetterman by 1am, with Oz conceding shortly thereafter.
On June 3 last year, Fetterman released a letter from his cardiologist Dr. Ramesh Chandra, saying that his serious health situation should not deter him from running for Senate.
The letter read: ‘The prognosis I can give for John’s heart is this: if he takes his medications, eats healthy, and exercises, he’ll be fine.
‘If he does what I’ve told him, and I do believe he is taking his recovery and his health very seriously at this time, he should be able to campaign and serve in the U.S. Senate without a problem.’
Earlier this month, it was revealed that Fetterman uses assistive technology in the U.S. Senate as he continues to struggle with auditory processing issues.
Fetterman needs the assistance of closed captioning, so the Senate Sergeant at Arms installed a monitor on Fetterman’s desk in the Senate chamber that provides live captioning, and armed him with a wireless tablet for committee hearings.
Pennsylvania’s Fetterman waves onstage at a watch party during the midterm elections at Stage AE in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, on November 8, 2022
He is pictured walking outside the Senate chamber on Capitol Hill in Washington, DC, USA, 15 November 2022
