His office stated that Patrick Leahy, a long-serving senator from Vermont, had “successful” hip replacement surgery on Thursday afternoon. He had broken it one day earlier.
According to a statement, the 82-year old Democrat is now “comfortably recuperating” in a Washington, D.C. area hospital. After “sufficient healing,” he will start physical therapy.
According to an earlier statement from his staff, Leahy broke his hip when he fell at McLean’s home Wednesday night. The best course of action was to have the hip repaired as soon as possible by doctors.
Leahy was born with one eye blind and “has had a lifetime struggle with reduced depth perception,” according to the statement. He has had some amazing dingers, but this one finally caught up to him.
Leahy is currently the longest-serving senator. In November, he announced that he would not be seeking reelection in the fall. He will have been in the Senate for 48 years by the time his term ends in January 2023.
The Vermont senator is the last among the Watergate babies, the wave of congressional Democrats elected after President Richard Nixon resigned in 1974 to avoid impeachment.
