By Islam El-Sakka
Senator Chris Murphy, Democrat of Connecticut, was discharged Friday from Johns Hopkins Hospital in Baltimore after suffering a small hemorrhagic stroke last weekend. The 53-year-old lawmaker will spend several weeks at a rehabilitation center and is expected to make a full recovery, according to his doctor.
Stroke occurred at son's hockey game
Murphy said in a written statement that he felt something was wrong last Saturday afternoon and called 911. He was diagnosed with a small bleed in the thalamus region of his brain. His chief of staff, Allison Herwitt, said the symptoms began while Murphy was at his son's hockey game, where he experienced numbness in his arm.
Doctor expects full recovery
Dr. Jose Suarez, chief of neurosciences critical care at Johns Hopkins, said Murphy has shown tremendous progress. At the current rate of improvement, a full recovery following rehabilitation is expected. A hemorrhagic stroke occurs when a blood vessel in the brain ruptures and bleeds.
Senator to miss weeks of votes
Murphy's office said he will miss several weeks of votes during his recovery but remains engaged with his team and colleagues remotely. His staff continues to carry out legislative priorities and serve constituents without interruption.
Leadership role and recent history
Murphy serves as deputy secretary of the Senate Democratic Caucus and sits on the Appropriations, Foreign Relations, and Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions committees. He is considered a potential 2028 presidential contender. Three other Democratic senators — Ben Ray Luján of New Mexico, Chris Van Hollen of Maryland, and John Fetterman of Pennsylvania — have experienced strokes in recent years.
