Sen. John Fetterman (D-PA) was released on Friday from Walter Reed National Military Medical Center, where doctors had been treating him for clinical depression for the last six weeks.
The senator traveled home to Braddock, Pennsylvania, where he will spend time with his family before returning to the Senate after the Easter recess, his office announced.
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“I am so happy to be home. I’m excited to be the father and husband I want to be, and the senator Pennsylvania deserves. Pennsylvanians have always had my back, and I will always have theirs,” Fetterman said in a statement.
Fetterman, whose depression is now in remission, admitted himself to the hospital on Feb. 15. According to Dr. David Williamson, who oversaw his medical treatment at the facility, the senator exhibited signs of severe depression, including “low energy and motivation, minimal speech, poor sleep, slowed thinking, slowed movement, feelings of guilt and worthlessness.” He had no suicidal thoughts, the physician said in his discharge briefing.
The senator had stopped eating and drinking, leading to low blood pressure, Williamson said. Fetterman had been hospitalized days before checking himself into Walter Reed after feeling lightheaded at a Senate Democratic retreat.
A neuropsychiatry team treated Fetterman’s depression with medication, which resolved his symptoms over the weeks of treatment.
“Sleep was restored, he ate well and hydrated, and he evidenced better mood, brighter affect and improved motivation, self-attitude, and engagement with others,” according to Williamson.
Fetterman suffered a stroke in May, days before the Democratic primary for Pennsylvania’s 2022 Senate race. He went on to win that primary and the general election, slowly ramping up his campaign schedule, but suffered from lingering auditory processing problems as a result of the stroke.
Williamson reported that treatment of his depression led to a “noticeable” improvement in his speaking abilities. The medical team, which assessed that he has “mild to moderate” hearing loss, fitted Fetterman with hearing aids and advised that his speech is likely to improve “significantly” with continued therapy.
Walter Reed found no evidence of a new stroke, confirming the findings of George Washington University Hospital, where he was hospitalized after feeling lightheaded.
Fetterman expressed gratitude for the doctors at Walter Reed who administered his treatment and promised to provide another update at a later date.
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“I am extremely grateful to the incredible team at Walter Reed. The care they provided changed my life,” he said. “I will have more to say about this soon, but for now I want everyone to know that depression is treatable, and treatment works.”
“This isn’t about politics — right now there are people who are suffering with depression in red counties and blue counties,” he added. “If you need help, please get help.”
