Sen. John Fetterman’s (D-PA) wife left the country with her children after her husband was hospitalized recently.
In a social media post Friday, Gisele Barreto Fetterman told followers she left a few days after her husband began his stay at a Washington, DC, hospital to receive treatment for clinical depression, the Western Journal reported.
“I am not really sure how to navigate this journey but am figuring it out slowly. 1 week ago today when the news dropped, the kids were off from school and media trucks circled our home. I did the first thing I could think of … pack them in the car and drive,” she wrote.
In a subsequent post, she explained to followers the family drove to Canada, apparently through Buffalo, New York, adding, “(Pro Tip: always have passports ready just in case you have to run away)”:
A few days after he was hospitalized for feeling “lightheaded,” Sen. Fetterman checked himself into the hospital for “clinical depression,” Breitbart News reported February 16.
In a statement, his chief of staff, Adam Jentleson, said:
Last night, Senator John Fetterman checked himself into Walter Reed National Military Medical Center to receive treatment for clinical depression. While John has experienced depression off and on throughout his life, it only became severe in recent weeks…On Monday, John was evaluated by Dr. Brian P. Monahan … Monahan recommended inpatient care at Walter Reed. John agreed, and he is receiving treatment on a voluntary basis…After examining John, the doctors at Walter Reed told us that John is getting the care he needs. [Emphasis added.]
The senator experienced a stroke during his recent campaign before clinching the Democrat nomination for the U.S. Senate seat in Pennsylvania, despite appearing disoriented on the campaign trail, mispronouncing words, and uttering confusing sentences.
He later won the election against Republican Mehmet Oz in November.
Video footage from October shows then-candidate Fetterman struggling during an October debate with Oz:
Now, Sen. Fetterman may reportedly remain in the hospital for quite a while — possibly “more than a month” — after checking himself in for “clinical depression,” Breitbart News reported Monday.
In another social media post on Friday, Gisele Barreto Fetterman said she and her children did a zipline over Niagara Falls during their getaway trip:
“We talked about flexibility and the need to always have an open heart and an open mind,” she wrote, adding in another post, “We also talked about how joy and fun can and must still exist, even when someone we love is in pain. And tomorrow? Who knows. Will try all over again.”
In October, President Joe Biden (D) appeared to endorse Gisele Barreto Fetterman, telling her she would be a “great lady” in the Senate, according to Breitbart News.
“John, thank you very much for running. I really do appreciate it,” Biden said, adding, “And Gisele, you’re going to be a great, great lady in the Senate.”