Do you know who John Fetterman is?
I certainly do not know everything about the newly elected Junior Senator from Pennsylvania, but the more I learn the more I want to know.
If you follow U. S. politics you likely know Fetterman as the unorthodox very progressive political candidate who often wears a hoodie when a business suit would be the norm. The former mayor of Braddock, PA, and Lt. Governor of Pennsylvania came to national prominence by winning the state’s Democratic nomination for the Senate and then defeating TV star Dr. Oz in the general election.
Recently Fetterman has been in the news because of his health which is without question a story with too many conditions even to list. His heart is flawed with a-fib and cardiomyopathy. In 2022 Fetterman suffered a stroke caused by a blood clot and a-fib. After a medical evaluation he
was allowed to continue his political campaign and defeated Dr. Oz.
He bought the second suit he’d ever owned for his swearing-in as a United States Senator.
Fetterman is married to Gisele Barreto Fetterman who came to the U.S. at age 7 from Rio de Janeiro, Brazil as an undocumented child immigrant. Her mother, a nutritionist and the holder of a Ph.D. from a Brazilian University was forced to take hotel cleaning jobs to survive.
Gisele Fetterman is now introduced as an American activist, .philanthropist, and non-profit executive. Her resume concerning help for the underprivileged may be more impressive than her husband’s!
The 6’9” Fetterman who once weighed over 400 pounds played 4 years of college football. He has numerous tattoos on his body and is quickly becoming a powerful example for living with heart problems, stroke history, and most importantly depression which he has struggled with throughout his life.
Here I’d like to define depression for you, but that’s impossible as it’s a mental health condition that is unique in each and every one of the estimated 236 million people worldwide that are victims of what the World Health Organization describes as “one of the most prominent health struggles in our society.”
Depression victims like Senator John Fetterman don’t need our sympathy. They need our understanding and prayers.
I’m Steve Sauder and there is Something to Think About.
