Medics were called to the Washington D.C. home of Senator Lindsey Graham on Saturday night following reports of a person experiencing chest pains, according to emergency dispatch audio reviewed by The Post. Approximately 25 minutes after the initial call, emergency personnel reported that CPR was in progress and a man in his 70s was suffering from cardiac arrest.
Graham's office announced his death Saturday night, stating he passed away from “a brief and sudden illness,” but did not specify the cause. The dispatch audio does not confirm the cause of death.
The initial emergency call was placed by someone in Baltimore who was en route to the senator's home, reporting severe chest pains, the audio indicated. First responders encountered a brief obstacle as the front door was dead-bolted, though they were eventually able to gain entry.
Neighbors observed an elderly man being transported from Graham's townhouse on a wheeled stretcher and loaded into an ambulance around 9:30 p.m. Emergency responders worked to stabilize Graham before he was transported to George Washington University Hospital.
Graham, 71, died just a day after returning from his tenth visit to Ukraine since the war began. A staffer for the senator indicated there were no prior signs of him being unwell. He had been scheduled to appear on NBC’s “Meet The Press” on Sunday.
His office released a statement: “His family appreciates prayers at this time and asks for privacy during this incredibly difficult period.” Graham, who never married, is survived by no children.