Sen. John Fetterman taken to Pittsburgh hospital after fall during morning walk

PITTSBURGH — Sen. John Fetterman is recovering after a fall on Thursday.

A spokesperson says the Democratic senator was on an early morning walk when he fell near his Braddock home. He was taken to a Pittsburgh hospital out of an abundance of caution.

Fetterman was found to have had a ventricular fibrillation flare-up that caused him to feel light-headed, the spokesperson says. The fall left him with minor injuries to the face.

“If you thought my face looked bad before, wait until you see it now,” Fetterman said.

The spokesperson says Fetterman is doing well and recovering in the hospital. He will stay so that doctors can “fine-tune his medication regimen.”

Fetterman is grateful for the medics, doctors and nurses who cared for him, the spokesperson says.

Around 7:30 a.m., Fetterman had appeared live on MSNBC’s Morning Joe. He apparently fell sometime after that interview.

According to the Mayo Clinic, “ventricular fibrillation” is a type of irregular heart rhythm.

Over the years, Channel 11 has reported extensively on Senator Fetterman’s health issues.

In 2023, he spent six weeks in a hospital, as doctors were treating him for clinical depression.

That treatment for his mental health came after his 2022 near-fatal stroke, while he was running for senator. After his stroke, he had trouble speaking and processing words.

Sen. Dave McCormick issued this statement on Thursday:

“I reached out to Sen. Fetterman and Dina has spoken to Gisele. John is a tough Pittsburgher and is already on the mend. We are thinking of him, Gisele, and their entire family – looking forward to seeing my good friend in the coming days.”

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