As numerous outlets reported this Wednesday, Senator John McCain (R-AZ) has been diagnosed with primary glioblastoma, an aggressive form of cancer, after having a brain tumor removed on Friday.
McCain had initially gone in to have a blood clot removed from above his eye when doctors discovered the tumor. According to scans of McCain’s brain after the surgery, the cancerous tissue had been completely removed.
All across social media, McCain’s colleagues in Washington wished him well and sent messages of support. Former Vice President Joe Biden, whose own son Beau died from a brain tumor exactly like McCain’s, said the Arizona Senator’s strength lies in the “grace” he’s faced past difficulties with.
John and I have been friends for 40 years. He's gotten through so much difficulty with so much grace. He is strong – and he will beat this.
— Joe Biden (@JoeBiden) July 20, 2017
Posting on Facebook, veteran news anchor Dan Rather asked for people regardless of political affiliation to “pause and reflect, and pray for John.”
“He is a man who has selfless service to this nation. He is a patriot,” Rather said.
But one of the most widely shared messages of support came from former President Barack Obama, who was also McCain’s opponent in the 2008 election.
“John McCain is an American hero & one of the bravest fighters I’ve ever known,” Obama tweeted. “Cancer doesn’t know what it’s up against. Give it hell, John.”
John McCain is an American hero & one of the bravest fighters I've ever known. Cancer doesn't know what it's up against. Give it hell, John.
— Barack Obama (@BarackObama) July 20, 2017
As of this writing, Obama’s tweet is approaching 1 million likes and almost 300,000 retweets.
According to a statement from his office, McCain is recovering “amazingly well.”
Featured image: USDA/Gage Skidmore
