US Senator Lindsey Graham dies aged 71 after ‘brief and sudden illness’
US Senator Lindsey Graham died at the age of 71 due to a ‘short and sudden illness’.
The Republican representative from South Carolina passed away Saturday evening, according to a statement from his office.
“Senator Graham’s family appreciates prayers at this time and asks for privacy during this incredibly difficult time,” the statement said.
Emergency services responded to a ‘heart attack’ at Graham’s home in Washington DC on Saturday night. NBC News reported.
Graham never married and is survived by his younger sister, Darline Graham Nordone, and other relatives.
His death came just days after he visited Ukraine and met with the country’s President Volodymyr Zelensky to discuss the ongoing Russian occupation.
He later announced an agreement had been reached with President Donald Trump to advance bipartisan legislation targeting countries that buy energy from Russia, potentially paving the way for stronger pressure on Moscow over the war in Ukraine.
He most recently served as Chairman of the Senate Budget Committee and as a member of the Senate Appropriations Committee, the Senate Judiciary Committee, and the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee.
Graham was elected to the House of Representatives in 1994 before serving in the Senate.
US Senator Lindsey Graham dies from ‘brief and sudden illness’ at 71
Graham also served six and a half years of active duty in the United States Air Force as an Air Force attorney.
He then joined the South Carolina Air National Guard until 1995, during which time he was called to active duty in the Gulf War.
He joined the Air Force reserves where he attained the rank of Colonel before retiring in June 2015.
Born in July 1955 in Central, Pickens County, Graham came from humble beginnings and was the first member of his family to attend college.
He received his undergraduate and law degrees from the University of South Carolina and was a practicing Baptist.
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