WASHINGTON — Sen. Chris Murphy (D-Conn.) is expected to make a “full recovery” after suffering a stroke at his son’s hockey game, though his doctor and congressional office said he will miss several weeks of Senate votes.
Dr. Jose Suarez, chief of Neurosciences Critical Care at Johns Hopkins Hospital, said Murphy suffered a “small hemorrhagic stroke.” However, Suarez added that the senator has “shown tremendous progress” and is expected to fully recover after completing rehabilitation.
The Connecticut Democrat has been receiving treatment at Johns Hopkins since the Nov. 1 incident, when numbness in his left arm led him to call 911.
“Thank you for the outpouring of support my family and I have received over the last few days,” Murphy said Friday. “I want to be direct with you, so here is my diagnosis: I was diagnosed with a small bleed in the thalamus region of my brain.”
“The doctors are very encouraged by the progress I’ve made so far,” he continued. “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.”
Murphy described the ordeal as frightening for both him and his family and asked that their privacy continue to be respected. He said he remains in contact with his staff and colleagues remotely while recovering, adding that his office is continuing to advance his legislative priorities, serve constituents and operate without interruption.
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The senator also offered his “deepest thanks” to the doctors and staff at Johns Hopkins for treating him and supporting his family.
Murphy, who is considered a potential 2028 presidential candidate, had been visiting key battleground states to support Democratic candidates in the midterm elections.
He is not scheduled to face reelection until 2030.
Murphy, 53, has two teenage sons with his ex-wife, Cathy Holahan, an attorney.
The couple finalized their divorce last July, almost two years after publicly announcing their separation following the 2024 election.
The Post reported that Murphy began dating Democratic digital strategist Tara McGowan several months later, in March 2025.