Dingell Fractures Hip on Final Days in Congress

U.S. Rep. John Dingell, shown here with his wife, Congresswoman-elect Debbie Dingell, fractured his hip and missed his final days in Congress. (Photo: Getty Images)

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U.S. Rep. John Dingell missed a day of tributes in Congress Friday, as well as his own send-off a few days before after a fall left him with a hairline hip fracture and landed him in the hospital.

The 88-year-old Dingell, the longest-serving member of Congress in history, watched the nearly two dozen speeches in his honor Tuesday from a doctor’s office, the Detroit Free Press reports.

He tweeted that he “took a spill” and “bruised my hip and my ego.”

Dingell was admitted to George Washington University Hospital on Friday, a day after his final vote in Congress, and won’t be able to travel for several days, his wife, Congresswoman-elect Debbie Dingell said in a post on her public Facebook page.

That means he will also miss Monday’s dedication of the new train station in Dearborn, an event he had hoped to attend. Debbie Dingell said she hopes to attend the dedication.

In her post, she wrote:

“Thank you for everyone’s thoughts, prayers and concerns. They mean much. John and I have always been straight on what is happening and will admit it has been a rough 24 hours. Everyone knows how stubborn he is and by sheer grit and determination he wasn’t going to miss his last days in the House of Representatives especially on issues of such vital importance to everyone, but he hasn’t been well.

“Turns out, he has a hairline hip fracture from that fall he took last week which he walked around on for a couple days before it was discovered. Thankfully, no surgery is needed but it’s going to take time to heal. We are in the process of figuring things out but it will be a few weeks before they will allow him to travel.

“He is severely disappointed he will not be able to be at the dedication of train station. I am hoping to be able to be there. We are grateful to all of our friends for everything you do for us. I want John at my side when they swear me in on January 6th and that is what we are aiming for. …”