WASHINGTON, D.C. — U.S. Sen. John McCain's family issued a statement on Friday, informing the nation that the senator, who was diagnosed with cancer, will discontinue medical treatment.

  • 81-year-old Arizona senator was diagnosed with brain tumor in 2017
  • John McCain's political career as U.S. senator spans decades
  • Family, political friends and foes tweet out support

In the summer of 2017, McCain, who has been a U.S. senator since 1987, was diagnosed with glioblastoma, which is an aggressive brain tumor.

However, despite being able to survive as long as he has, he has decided to stop treatment, his family stated.

"With his usual strength of will, he has now chosen to discontinue medical treatment," his family stated.

McCain has been undergoing a variety of treatment over the last year, with a combination of chemotherapy and radiation. In July of 2017, he had a blood clot removed above his left eye from the Mayo Clinic.

The 81-year-old Republican giant has served Arizona for six terms and ran for president twice, losing to George W. Bush in 2000 during the Republican presidential primary races and then to Democrat U.S. Sen. Barack Obama in 2008 as a GOP nominee.

During the 2000 presidential race, he received treatment for melanoma, a type of skin cancer.

McCain is a Vietnam War veteran and was a prisoner of war. In October of 1967, McCain’s plane was shot down over the North Vietnamese capital of Hanoi, he was captured and tortured for five and a half years.

The North Vietnamese offered to release McCain, but he refused unless every American captured before him was also released.

Eventually  released in 1973, McCain earned the Silver Star, Bronze Star, Purple Heart and Distinguished Flying Cross. The torture he endured left him permanently injured with limited mobility in both arms.  

After Friday's announcement, an outpouring of support flooded out from Twitter from family and political friends and foes alike. 

 

 

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