October 12, 2023
Late Night With Stephen Colbert/YOUTUBE
U.S. Senator John Fetterman appears on 'Late Night with Stephen Colbert' on Wednesday to discuss his recovery from a stroke and depression.
Unshackled from the recently-reinstated U.S. Senate dress code, Sen. John Fetterman appeared on the "Late Show with Stephen Colbert" on Wednesday just as one would expect – sporting black shorts and a hoodie, and bringing plenty of candor.
During the course of the 9-minute interview, Fetterman touched on a range of topics, from his health to the reignited war between Israel and Hamas. The senator opened up about his dual recovery from both depression and a nearly fatal stroke he suffered last year – including his ongoing use of the assistive screen reader seen on Colbert's desk during the interview, which helps mitigate the auditory processing disability Fetterman developed after the stroke.
"It really made me a fully more empathetic person," Fetterman said of the technology. "Now I realize I need to be an advocate for anyone with a disability to have the kind of technology that allows them to fully participate in society."
Fetterman said he also now feels a duty to use his platform to advocate for those who have experienced mental health issues like he has. In February, the newly-elected senator checked himself into Walter Reed National Military Medical Center to seek treatment for clinical depression. Fetterman returned to the Senate six weeks later with his depression in remission, vowing to become a champion for mental health care.
"To anyone who is listening to this: If you are suffering from depression, please get help," Fetterman implored. "Please get help, because it works."
Fetterman admitted to initially being skeptical that his depression could be improved through treatment, but that his experience proved him wrong.
Colbert and Fetterman's discussion transitioned from the personal to the political, touching on topics like dysfunction in Congress, the Senate's recent suspension – and subsequent reintroduction – of its informal dress code, and the war between Israel and Hamas. Fetterman expressed support for Israel after the surprise attack by the Palestinian militant group last weekend killed hundreds of Israelis and dramatically escalated the decades-long conflict between Israel and the Palestinians.
While discussing the backstory of his nearly-fatal stroke, Fetterman touched on a trivial topic: Is Wawa or Sheetz the better convenience store?
"I'm a Sheetz guy," Fetterman interjected as he told the story of the moment he and his wife realized he was having a stroke as they walked into the convenience store.
