Senator Mitch McConnell, 84, the longest-serving party leader in Senate history, revealed on Sunday that a fall in June led to his hospitalization. The Kentucky Republican, who had provided little information since his hospitalization on June 14, stated that he also contracted pneumonia.
Along with a photo of himself and his wife, Elaine Chao, McConnell released a statement addressing weeks of mounting speculation about his health. He explained the long silence by stating that folks of his generation often hesitate to share the vulnerability that comes with growing older.
McConnell has undergone a battery of tests as doctors determine what led to his fall. While he said he could not immediately return to the Senate floor, he intends to return and will continue working on Senate business during his recovery. No specific date for his return was provided.