PITTSBURGH — Pennsylvania Lt. Gov. John Fetterman, the front-runner for his party's nomination in this year's crucial U.S. Senate election, suffered a stroke late last week and is on his way to "a full recovery," he said in a statement Sunday.
Fetterman, 52, said in a statement through his campaign that he hadn't been feeling well on Friday, went to a hospital in Lancaster to get checked out and was told he "had a stroke that was caused by a clot from my heart being in an (atrial fibrillation) rhythm for too long."
Atrial fibrillation is “an irregular, often very fast heart beat,” according to the Mayo Clinic. He said his wife, Gisele, spotted the symptoms and got him 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," Fetterman said in a statement.
Fetterman said he is feeling better and that the doctors at Penn Medicine Lancaster General Health told him he didn't suffer any cognitive damage.
"I’m well on my way to a full recovery," Fetterman said, adding he should be “out of here sometime soon.”
All of Fetterman's campaign events were canceled on Friday and Saturday, CNN reported, and a spokesman for the campaign told the outlet that Fetterman wasn't feeling well.
The election is Tuesday. He is running in the Democratic primary against U.S. Rep. Conor Lamb, state Rep. Malcolm Kenyatta and Jenkintown Borough Councilwoman Alex Khalil.
Fetterman said doctors have said he’ll be “able to get back on the trail,” but first needs to rest and recover.
“There’s so much at stake in this race, and I’m going to be ready for the hard fight ahead,” Fetterman said, adding that his campaign “isn’t slowing down one bit.”
Lamb, who was doing an interview on CNN when Fetterman made the announcement, wrote on social media that he found out on live TV that Fetterman suffered a stroke.
“Hayley and I are keeping John and his family in our prayers and wishing him a full and speedy recovery,” Lamb said.
Kenyatta said Fetterman is “an incredible family man” and that his prayers are with the Fettermans.
“I look forward to seeing him back on the campaign trail soon,” Kenyatta said.
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