Democratic Kansas City mayoral candidate Jason Kander, an Afghanistan veteran, has announced that he will be dropping out of the race to seek treatment for worsening PTSD symptoms.
“I’m done hiding this from myself and from the world,” he wrote in an open letter.
“When I wrote in my book that I was lucky to not have PTSD, I was just trying to convince myself. And I wasn’t sharing the full picture. I still have nightmares. I am depressed.”
Kander ran for and narrowly lost Sen. Roy Blunt’s (R-MO) Senate seat in 2016, becoming something of a political celebrity in the process. Since then, he has founded and run “Let America Vote,” an organization meant to combat voter disenfranchisement.
Read Kander’s full letter here.
A brave and honest man.
Good for him, it’s not a thing that should be neglected
Best wishes for Jason getting the treatment he needs.
Now, for all of us suffering from the other PTSD (Post-Trump Stress Disorder):
GOTV!!!
This action has taken courage, honesty and self-awareness, all traits of a leader. Jason, you will have many opportunities to demonstrate your leadership in the years to come, but none more valuable than the actions you have taken here.
I am wishing you only the best as you obtain the care and treatment you need and deserve. You are a true patriot
Hopes for a speedy and long-term recovery.
You still have many productive years ahead of you.