Senator Chris Murphy Discharged from Hospital After Stroke, Rehabilitation to Cause Weeks-Long Absence from Senate

Connecticut Democratic Senator Chris Murphy announced Friday that he has been released from the hospital following a stroke he suffered last weekend. The 53-year-old senator will be entering a rehabilitation center for the next several weeks, which will prevent him from participating in Senate votes when Congress reconvenes on Monday.

"The doctors are very encouraged by the progress I've made so far," Murphy stated. "In order to take my recovery seriously and get back to work on the quickest timeline possible, I will be spending several weeks at a rehabilitation center after being discharged from the hospital today."

Dr. Jose Suarez, chief of Neurosciences Critical Care at The Johns Hopkins Hospital, confirmed that Senator Murphy experienced a "small hemorrhagic stroke." He added, "He has shown tremendous progress, and at the current rate of improvement, we expect that he will make a full recovery following rehabilitation."

Murphy recounted that he was hospitalized after experiencing symptoms at his son's hockey game. "Last Saturday afternoon, I felt something was not right with my body and called 9-1-1 out of an abundance of caution, and I'm glad I did," he said. "I was diagnosed with a small bleed in the thalamus region of my brain."

The senator expressed gratitude for the support he and his family have received, acknowledging the situation as "a scary experience." He assured that despite his absence from physical Senate sessions, he remains engaged with his team and colleagues remotely, and his staff will continue to manage legislative priorities and constituent services.

Murphy's stroke occurred just days after a significant election where Democrats secured majority control of both the Senate and the House of Representatives. Prior to his stroke, Murphy had been actively campaigning for Democratic candidates across the country, including recent trips to Michigan, Minnesota, and Florida.