WASHINGTON, D.C. — Pennsylvania Sen. John Fetterman, still recovering from a stroke, has checked himself into Walter Reed National Military Medical Center to seek treatment for clinical depression, his office said Thursday.
Fetterman, a Democrat, checked himself in Wednesday night, the office said. He has struggled with the aftereffects of a stroke he suffered last May,
“While John has experienced depression off and on throughout his life, it only became severe in recent weeks,” his chief of staff, Adam Jentleson, said in a statement.
Fetterman was evaluated on Monday by the attending physician of Congress, Dr. Brian P. Monahan, who recommended inpatient care at Walter Reed, Jentleson said.
“John agreed, and he is receiving treatment on a voluntary basis,” Jentleson said. “After examining John, the doctors at Walter Reed told us that John is getting the care he needs, and will soon be back to himself.”
Susan Wild, D-Lehigh, lauded Fetterman as a valiant leader for publicly sharing his hospitalization experiences in a news release. She also expressed her commitment to advocating for enhanced and easily accessible mental healthcare for all.
"I firmly believe that when it comes to actually getting the mental health care we need, the most important thing we can do is ensure there is no stigma in receiving it," she said.
State Rep. Mike Schlossberg, who's also encountered challenges with depression, conveyed his support in a statement Thursday afternoon.
"In a lot of regards, the news of Sen. Fetterman’s treatment should be no different than yesterday’s news of Sen. Bob Casey’s cancer treatment," Schlossberg said, emphasizing that mental illness treatments ought to be considered as commonplace as treatments for cancer.
Fetterman, 53, is in his first weeks as a U.S. senator after winning the seat held by now-retired Republican Pat Toomey in a hard-fought contest against GOP nominee Dr. Mehmet Oz.
Fetterman overcame a stroke days before last May's primary election and spent the last five months on the campaign trail recovering.
Last week, Fetterman stayed two days in George Washington University, checking himself in after becoming lightheaded. Fetterman’s office has said tests found no evidence of a new stroke or a seizure.
He continues to suffer auditory processing disorder, which can render someone unable to speak fluidly and quickly process spoken conversation into meaning.
The stroke nearly killed him, he has said.
Fetterman underwent surgery to implant a pacemaker with a defibrillator to manage two heart conditions, atrial fibrillation and cardiomyopathy, and spent much of the summer recovering and off the campaign trail.
Fetterman's wife, Gisele Barreto Fetterman, released a statement on Twitter confirming the release.
After what he’s been through in the past year, there’s probably no one who wanted to talk about his own health less than John. I’m so proud of him for asking for help and getting the care he needs. pic.twitter.com/SfuwWTSUcG
— Gisele Barreto Fetterman (@giselefetterman) February 16, 2023
Barreto Fetterman asked for privacy at this time for her and their family.
Staff writer Kat Dickey and Alan Lu contributed to this report.