Former Sen. Jon Kyl (R-Ariz.), who served in Congress for more than 25 years, announced Tuesday that he has dementia.
Kyl, 83, said in a statement that he will retreat from public life in the wake of his diagnosis, The Associated Press reported.
“My family and I now head down a path filled with moments of joy and increasing difficulties,” he continued. “I am grateful beyond expression for their love and support, in these coming days as in all the days of my life. Despite this diagnosis, I remain a very fortunate man.”
The former GOP lawmaker served the Grand Canyon State in the Senate from 1995 to 2013, rising to minority whip during his final years in office. Former Arizona Gov. Doug Ducey (R) then appointed Kyl to fill the seat vacated by the late Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.) in fall 2018. Kyl resigned that seat in December of that year and was succeeded by former Sen. Martha McSally (R).
Between his Senate stints, Kyl shepherded Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh’s nomination through the upper chamber.
Kyl also represented Arizona’s 4th Congressional District in the House from 1987-95.
The son of former Rep. John Henry Kyl (R-Iowa) and Arlene Kyl, the former lawmaker was born in Oakland, Neb. He graduated from the University of Arizona in 1964 and received his law degree from the school two years later.
Kyl married his wife, Caryll, in 1964. They have two children and four grandchildren.
As of 2021, roughly 57 million people worldwide had dementia, with nearly 10 million new cases each year, according to the World Health Organization. Alzheimer’s disease is the most common form of dementia.
A study published in Nature Medicine earlier this year found that dementia cases in the U.S. are expected to double to roughly 1 million new cases per year by 2060.
Updated at 9:27 a.m. EST
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