© 2026 WRVO Public Media
NPR News for Central New York
Play Live Radio
Next Up:
0:00
0:00
0:00 0:00
Available On Air Stations

Mitch McConnell discharged from the hospital after suffering a concussion last week

Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky.,at the Capitol on Sept. 27, 2021. McConnell was discharged from the hospital Monday after suffered a concussion and minor rib fracture from a fall last Wednesday in Washington, D.C.
J. Scott Applewhite
/
AP
Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky.,at the Capitol on Sept. 27, 2021. McConnell was discharged from the hospital Monday after suffered a concussion and minor rib fracture from a fall last Wednesday in Washington, D.C.

Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell was discharged from the hospital Monday after five days of observation and treatment. He tripped and fell during a D.C. dinner event last week, resulting in a concussion and minor rib fracture.

McConnell's communication director, David Popp, said Monday that the 81-year-old Kentucky congressman will complete inpatient physical therapy, at the advice of his physician, before he can return home.

The senator was attending a Senate Leadership Fund event at the Waldorf Astoria last Wednesday when he tripped and fell, landing him in the hospital for observation over the weekend. On top of a concussion, doctors discovered over the weekend that the senator also suffered a minor rib fracture, Popp said in a statement.

A source familiar with McConnell's situation said it's common for patients to need inpatient physical therapy to regain strength and that the senator could spend at least a week recovering.

A handful of Republicans reached out to McConnell, the longest-serving Senate leader in U.S. history, to wish him a speedy recovery. Republican Sen. John Cornyn of Texas and House Majority Leader Steve Scalise of Louisiana were among the well wishers, NPR previously reported.

Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, a Democrat from New York, offered McConnell and his family a "prayer of strength and healing" from the Senate floor last week.

Copyright 2023 NPR. To see more, visit https://www.npr.org.

Dustin Jones is a reporter for NPR's digital news desk. He mainly covers breaking news, but enjoys working on long-form narrative pieces.
Recent cuts to federal funding are challenging our mission to serve central and upstate New York with trusted journalism, vital local coverage, and the diverse programming that informs and connects our communities. This is the moment to join our community of supporters and help keep journalists on the ground, asking hard questions that matter to our region.

Stand with public media and make your gift today—not just for yourself, but for all who depend on WRVO as a trusted resource and civic cornerstone in central and upstate New York.