Bruce F. Vento: “I know a few of my colleagues have noticed I have not been around the last month or so. And believe me, spending a month…”

“I know a few of my colleagues have noticed I have not been around the last month or so. And believe me, spending a month in Minnesota in February is not necessarily a voluntary decision that one might make. I would much rather have been with my colleagues. As my colleagues know, I have returned from experiencing a serious illness. But I wanted to point out some of the experience I had just briefly, and I will try to be brief. But I think the true mark of who we are as persons is who we can call our friends. If we are fortunate, we have those friends to fall back on and lean on during the unexpected events of our lives, the disappointments and the challenges. I rise to say that I feel that I am very fortunate and blessed to call so many of my colleagues and many others my friends, especially during this period in my life as I do face this serious health challenge. Simply put, the outpouring of affection that I have received has been overwhelming from my colleagues on both sides of the aisle and from my constituents, my friends, and from my family. Cards and letters, calls and visits, not to mention their prayers, both spoken and unspoken, are very much appreciated. They have lifted the spirits of my staff, my family, and certainly myself. In early February, I was diagnosed with a rare form of cancer, mesothelioma, which required aggressive treatment. A month ago, I underwent pretty aggressive surgery.”