Pennsylvania Senator John Fetterman candidly discusses his health struggles in his upcoming memoir, “Unfettered,” set to hit shelves this Tuesday.
In an exclusive preview shared with the Free Press, the Democratic senator reveals insights into the medical crisis that almost jeopardized his 2022 election campaign and sheds light on his ongoing battle with depression.
At 56, Fetterman experienced a stroke just days before the Democratic primary election. His wife, Gisele, noticed the symptoms and quickly took him to the hospital, where doctors successfully removed a dangerous blood clot and later installed a pacemaker.
Despite overcoming the immediate danger and clinching the primary victory, the stroke left him with challenges in processing auditory information.
Determined to continue, Fetterman pushed ahead in the general election race against Republican Mehmet Oz, even as he coped with his condition.
Reflecting on these events in his memoir, now over three years later, he admits, “In hindsight, I should have quit.”
Fetterman has faced intense media scrutiny and personal attacks about his health, which he says contributed to severe depression.
In the memoir, Fetterman traces these struggles to deeper psychological issues stemming from being born to teenage parents, which he says left him with persistent feelings of shame and inadequacy throughout his life.
Fetterman writes: ‘Once, as I lay in bed, I asked myself, what would you do if there were a pill on the nightstand you could take and not wake up?’ I would have taken it.’
During the campaign, his mental health worsened, especially after a disastrous debate that drew public mockery.
He became consumed by self-loathing and suicidal thoughts. Even as he won the general election by five points – outperforming President Biden in most counties – his struggles continued.
U.S. Sen. John Fetterman (D-PA) departs a Democratic luncheon at the U.S. Capitol on November 6, 2025 in Washington, DC
John Fetterman, his wife Gisele Barreto Fetterman, and their kids in front of the White House
His victory brought no relief. He spent months bedridden, emotionally detached, and unable to function. By early 2023, he was isolated, barely eating or sleeping, and finally entered Walter Reed National Military Medical Center. There, he was diagnosed with severe depression that further affected his physical health.
At Walter Reed, through therapy and reading, he slowly began to heal. A young therapist’s reminder, delivered with a simple phrase — ‘Children need their daddy’ —became a turning point, rekindling his will to live and reconnect with his family.
The love and encouragement delivered by his three children ultimately brought him home after 44 days.
Now, in 2025, Fetterman reflects candidly on surviving both a stroke and suicidal depression while serving as a U.S. senator.
He acknowledges that stigma and political criticism persist, especially regarding his independent positions; however, he has found strength in his family and self-acceptance. His message to others struggling with depression is clear: recovery is slow, love is essential, and survival – however fragile – is possible.
Sen. John Fetterman, D-Penn., left, and Sen. Dave McCormick, R-Penn., right, display hoodies presented by the Edward M. Kennedy Institute for the United States Senate after participating in a debate Monday, June 2, 2025, at the at the institute, Monday, June 2, 2025, in Boston
US Senator John Fetterman (L) and his wife Gisele Barreto Fetterman arrive for the White House Correspondents’ Association (WHCA) dinner at the Washington Hilton, in Washington, DC, on April 27, 2024
John Fetterman (L) and former Republican Pennsylvania Senate candidate Dr. Mehmet Oz (R) during the Nexstar Pennsylvania Senate Debate at WHTM abc27 in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, USA, October 25 2022
He also opened up candidly for the first time about the worries that he had about the impact that his various health conditions had been having on his wife, Gisele.
‘After the stroke, I think the depression broke Gisele – as it does so many spouses trying to deal with it in a partner,’ Fetterman writes in one excerpt of his book.
‘The depressive says over and over, ‘you don’t understand the pain I am in.’ The spouse says, ‘what I don’t understand is your refusal to do anything about it. How can I help when you refuse to help yourself,’ he also noted.
The work offers an eye-opening glimpse into the inner battles Fetterman has faced in private, despite being in a public-facing role.
It may also provide a deeper insight into why Fetterman has been unafraid to buck his party and side with Republicans and Trump on issues such as immigration, Israel, and his unwavering commitment to reopening the government amid the shutdown that has plagued Washington for nearly six weeks.
