Lt. Gov. John Fetterman’s abrupt absence from the U.S. Senate campaign trail was explained Sunday afternoon when his campaign confirmed rumors he was in the hospital.
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In a statement, Fetterman said he had a stroke Friday. The stroke was caused by a clot that stemmed from an irregular heart rhythm. The clot was removed by Penn Medicine Lancaster General Hospital and the clot was removed and his heart rhythm returned to normal.
“The good news is I’m feeling much better, and the doctors tell me I didn’t suffer any cognitive damage. I’m well on my way to a full recovery. So I have a lot to be thankful for,” Fetterman said.
The Democrat from Western Pennsylvania said he expected to be released “sometime soon.”
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Fetterman attended events Thursday and then cancelled his Friday and Saturday events with little explanation. One of his events was scheduled for Bucks County in the final days of the Democratic primary race, where he is facing Conor Lamb and Malcolm Kenyatta but leading in the polls.
Fetterman’s confirmation that he was hospitalized came after rumors swirled about his health.
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“The kick-ass staff and doctors at Penn Medicine Lancaster General Health are working closely and constantly with our campaign team to ensure there is only one voice speaking on behalf of John. They have been extremely supportive and helpful over the course of the past couple days,” his campaign said in a statement.
Fetterman and his wife, Gisele, released a short video Sunday announcing he was recovering.
The state’s second highest ranking executive credited his wife with insisting he should go to the hospital when he didn’t feel well.
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Below is Fetterman’s full statement:
“On Friday, I wasn’t feeling well, so I went to the hospital to get checked out. I didn’t want to go – I didn’t think I had to – but Gisele insisted, and as usual, she was right. I hadn’t been feeling well, but was so focused on the campaign that I ignored the signs and just kept going. On Friday it finally caught up with me. I had a stroke that was caused by a clot from my heart being in an A-fib rhythm for too long. Fortunately, Gisele spotted the symptoms and got me to the hospital within minutes. The amazing doctors here were able to quickly and completely remove the clot, reversing the stroke, they got my heart under control as well. It’s a good reminder to listen to your body and be aware of the signs.
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“The good news is I’m feeling much better, and the doctors tell me I didn’t suffer any cognitive damage. I’m well on my way to a full recovery. So I have a lot to be thankful for. They’re keeping me here for now for observation, but I should be out of here sometime soon. The doctors have assured me that I’ll be able to get back on the trail, but first I need to take a minute, get some rest, and recover. There’s so much at stake in this race, and I’m going to be ready for the hard fight ahead.
“But our campaign isn’t slowing down one bit, and we are still on track to win this primary on Tuesday, and flip this Senate seat in November. Thanks for all the support, and please get out there and vote.”
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