The wife of Pennsylvania Senator John Fetterman (D) has raised eyebrows after taking some very public “me time” while her husband receives treatment for depression.
Gisele Fetterman told her social media following that she took a road trip to Canada with her three kids after her husband checked himself into Walter Reed hospital outside of Washington, D.C.
Fetterman updated her followers on her personal “journey” in a Twitter thread filled with therapeutic buzzwords.
Fetterman’s wife takes road trip
When news of her husband’s depression brought the media to her house, Fetterman said the “first thing” she thought to do was drive some 250 miles to Niagara Falls, where she went ziplining.
She could have traveled a comparable distance to Walter Reed in Bethesda, Maryland, where her husband is staying.
Fetterman concluded the bizarre, navel-gazing story by talking about the need for “fun” when loved ones are in pain.
“We also talked about how joy and fun can and must still exist, even when someone we love is in pain. And tomorrow? Who knows. Will try all over again,” she wrote.
I am not really sure how to navigate this journey but am figuring it out slowly. 1 week ago today when the news dropped, the kids were off from school and media trucks circled our home. I did the first thing I could think of … pack them in the car and drive.
— Gisele Barreto Fetterman (@giselefetterman) February 24, 2023
Fit to serve?
John Fetterman suffered a stroke that crippled his ability to comprehend speech while on the campaign trail last year.
Gisele Fetterman, who came to the U.S. as an illegal immigrant from Brazil, slammed skeptics of her husband’s fitness as “ableist,” and he went on to win a stunning upset against Republican Dr. Oz, padding Democrats’ narrow Senate majority by one.
The senator has continued to struggle very publicly. He won praise from Democrats after seeking treatment for “severe” depression this month, shortly after another hospital stay for light-headedness.
Another puppet?
Fetterman’s condition has led to considerable speculation that he is a surrogate for his wife and her personal ambitions. President Biden, who has often been described as a “puppet” himself, helped fuel those claims when he predicted Gisele Fetterman would be a “great lady in the Senate.”
Her road trip is not likely to convince critics that she has her husband’s welfare in mind.
Fetterman’s team has said they expect him to miss Senate business for a few weeks at least.
“We don’t have a lot to update folks with since there’s no real news to report except that John is doing well, working with the wonderful doctors, and remains on a path to recovery,” spokesman Joe Calvello said in a statement on Monday.