The New Jersey congressman who missed more than 140 votes has finally revealed the mystery “medical issue” that kept him from his congressional duties.
Republican Rep. Tom Kean Jr. (N.J.) last voted in Congress on March 5 and then went missing for three months without a full explanation of his absence.
‘There is no timeline for recovery, only the work of getting better one day at a time.’
On Tuesday, Kean said in a speech on the floor of Congress that he had been diagnosed with depression and told to stay in the hospital for treatment.
“Several months ago, due to health concerns, I entered the hospital for some testing. I did not believe that this would result in a long-term stay,” he said. “I was given the diagnosis of depression.”
Kean said his doctors recommended that he stay in the hospital to treat his depression.
“They explained to me that this would be the fastest way to recovery, and to be honest, I was hesitant. I didn’t think that I had time for it. … Like many people, I believed that I could simply push through,” Kean continued. “But I agreed to follow my doctor’s recommendations again, not believing that it would result in a long-term stay.”
Kean was pressed for details about his absence from Congress in April and said only that he had been dealing with a “personal medical issue.”
He said Tuesday that he had hoped to seek release earlier but his treatment dragged on.
“As the over 48 million of my fellow Americans being treated for this illness have come to discover, there is no timeline for healing. There is no timeline for recovery,” he added, “only the work of getting better one day at a time.”
Kean won the primary for his re-election campaign during the time he was gone.
RELATED: GOP congressman sort of reappears after going AWOL for months, missing over 100 votes
Kean reiterated his message on social media.
“I’m a private person by nature, so sharing my story wasn’t easy. But if speaking openly about what I’ve been through helps even one person know they’re not alone, then it was worth it,” he wrote.
“I’m deeply grateful for the prayers, kindness, and support I’ve received,” Kean concluded.
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