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littlemissmartypants

(25,483 posts)
Tue Oct 29, 2019, 12:11 AM Oct 2019

Former North Carolina Sen. Kay Hagan dead at 66

Former North Carolina Sen. Kay Hagan dead at 66
By Devan Cole and Manu Raju, CNN
Updated 3:57 PM EDT, Mon October 28, 2019

Washington (CNN)Kay Hagan, a former US senator from North Carolina and the first female Democratic senator to represent the state, died Monday, her family said in a statement. She was 66.

"We are heartbroken to share that Kay left us unexpectedly this morning," the Hagan family said. "Kay meant everything to us, and we were honored to share her with the people of North Carolina whom she cared for and fought for so passionately as an elected official."

Hagan, a Democrat, served in the Senate from 2009 to 2015 after defeating Elizabeth Dole. She lost her reelection bid in November 2014 to Republican Sen. Thom Tillis. Tillis said in a tweet Monday that he was "heartbroken" by Hagan's passing and remembered her for her "dedicated and distinguished record of public service to our state & nation."

Hagan is survived by her husband, Chip Hagan, and children Jeanette Hagan, Tilden Hagan and Carrie Hagan Stewart. They remembered her "humor and spirit as the hub of our family" and said in their statement that she had a knack for making people feel welcome.

The family did not provide information on the cause of her death, but said they "are deeply grateful for the support shared with our family as Kay worked to regain her strength these last few years after her illness."

The News & Record, a North Carolina newspaper, reports Hagan was in Washington in 2016 when she fell ill and was admitted to a hospital with encephalitis, an inflammation of the brain. The illness led to a months-long hospitalization at an Atlanta rehabilitation hospital, according to the paper, and her family later said the illness was caused by Powassan virus, which is transmitted to people from ticks.

More at the link.

https://www.cnn.com/2019/10/28/politics/kay-hagan-dead-north-carolina-senator/index.html

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Former North Carolina Sen. Kay Hagan dead at 66 (Original Post) littlemissmartypants Oct 2019 OP
... 2naSalit Oct 2019 #1
Bummer. calimary Oct 2019 #2
Such sad news. Tarheel_Dem Oct 2019 #3
Tick borne illnesses are scary and dangerous. I have lived with Lyme since 1995. airmid Oct 2019 #4

airmid

(506 posts)
4. Tick borne illnesses are scary and dangerous. I have lived with Lyme since 1995.
Tue Oct 29, 2019, 02:52 AM
Oct 2019

Some do not live so long. RIP to this fine person. The world is a better place for her having bee in it.

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