Sen. Mark Warner announced some sad news on Monday – his daughter Madison died of juvenile diabetes.
“We are heartbroken beyond words by the passing of our beloved daughter, Madison, 36, after a decades-long battle with juvenile diabetes and other health issues,” he said in a statement on social media.
“She filled our lives with love and laughter, and her absence leaves an immeasurable void.”
Madison was the eldest of Warner’s three daughters with his wife, Lisa. Her sisters are Gillian and Eliza.
The Warner daughters are familiar faces to the people of Virginia. They grew up in the governor’s mansion in Richmond when their dad was governor. And they often joined him at public appearances both in his role as governor and senator.
It is unclear whether Warner will take time away from his Senate duties to be with his family. Serving in the Senate since 2009, Warner is up for reelection this year.
Diabetes, which causes a lack of insulin, an essential hormone, affects about 1.7 million people in the United States.
About 1.5 million people die globally each year of diabetes, which has side effects including cardiovascular disease, kidney failure, infections, diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA) and severe hypoglycemia.
