John Fetterman continues to be a member of the United States Senate as part of the Democratic Party. He was elected to the Senate from Pennsylvania last year. Prevailing over the Republican nominee Mehmet Oz, the controversial doctor and television host.
In the months before and since his being elected, Fetterman's health has been a point of focus. During the campaign, he suffered a massive stroke. He was hospitalized for several days and continues to deal with the aftermath. More recently, Fetterman was checked into George Washington University Hospital after significant lightheadedness.
Now, he's been hospitalized once more for a different reason.
Had been struggling with severe depression
John Fetterman has been admitted to Walter Reed National Military Medical Center, reports CNN. There, he is to receive inpatient treatment for clinical depression. It comes following the recommendation of Dr. Brian P. Monahan, the attending physician of the United States Congress.
Fetterman's treatment is expected to last for a number of weeks. But it's not certain if all of it would be on an inpatient basis. Following his decision, Fetterman has received bipartisan support from his colleagues in the Senate. The move has also re-ignited the discussion about the need to take mental health seriously.
And to try to eliminate the stigma that can sometimes follow those who seek treatment for it.
It's unclear if Fetterman's recent case of depression is connected to his stroke, or his more recent hospital stay. Stroke victims can have an increased likelihood of serious depression. But Fetterman's chief of staff Adam Jentleson indicates that the senator had experienced occasional depression throughout his life.
But in recent weeks things had taken a sharp turn for the worse.
A source who wished to remain anonymous told ABC that Fetterman has "been doing his job, but he just seems off." When comparing it to past struggles, they said Fetterman "was still himself" after the stroke. "The last couple of weeks, he hasn't been himself," they added.
The anonymous source also said that Fetterman had not been eating on a regular basis.
Is a former lieutenant governor
Prior to joining the U.S. Senate, Fetterman had been the lieutenant governor of Pennsylvania. Serving in the role since 2019. He defeated incumbent Lieutenant Governor Mike Stack among others in the Democratic primary. After Democratic Governor Tom Wolf won re-election, Fetterman took over in his then-new role.
In the past, Fetterman was the longtime mayor of the Pittsburgh suburb of Braddock, Pennsylvania. He originally hails from the Philadelphia area in West Reading. His family later moved to southern Pennsylvania, settling in York.
