Six weeks after entering Walter Reed National Military Medical Center for inpatient treatment for depression, Sen. John Fetterman shares his struggle with depression, his health and more in an intimate interview with anchor Jane Pauley, to be broadcast Sunday, April 2 and streamed on Paramount+.
Pauley spoke with Fetterman earlier this week in Bethesda, Md. He returned home after being released from Walter Reed National Military Medical Center on Friday.
SENATOR JOHN FETTERMAN: “It’s like, you know, you just won the biggest, you know, race in the country. And the whole thing about depression is that, objectively, you may have won, but depression can absolutely convince you that you actually lost. And that’s exactly what happened. And that was the start of a downward spiral.”
JANE PAULEY: “In the interim between the campaign and being sworn in, at home in November, December, depression started gathering strength, is that correct?”
FETTERMAN: “Very much. Very much. I had stopped leaving my bed. I had stopped eating. I was dropping weight. I had stopped engaging some of the, most things that I love in my life.”
In a statement released Friday, Fetterman said, “I am so happy to be home. I’m excited to be the father and husband I want to be, and the senator Pennsylvania deserves. Pennsylvanians have always had my back, and I will always have theirs.
“I am extremely grateful to the incredible team at Walter Reed. The care they provided changed my life. I will have more to say about this soon, but for now I want everyone to know that depression is treatable, and treatment works.
“This isn’t about politics — right now there are people who are suffering with depression in red counties and blue counties. If you need help, please get help.”