DC Council member Vincent Gray suffers 2nd stroke in 3 years
D.C. Council member and former Mayor Vincent Gray suffered another stroke in April and has been receiving physical therapy ever since.
In an emailed statement to WTOP, spokesperson Chuck Thies wrote Gray’s recovery from a “recent, minor stroke is proceeding.” The Ward 7 council member had been working to improve his mobility for months, but Thies called Gray’s most recent stroke “a setback in that regard.”
“What we know for certain is that the Councilmember’s cognitive abilities are unaffected by this stroke or the one he experienced in 2021,” Thies wrote.
Gray is undergoing daily physical therapy and plans to continue on council business while he recovers. In a separate statement, Thies confirmed that Gray still plans to attend George Washington University’s commencement on the National Mall on Sunday, where he is set to be awarded an honorary doctoral degree in public service.
The 81-year-old commented on his health Thursday after Chairman Phil Mendelson wished him a speedy recovery on X. In a social media post, Gray called the stroke “a health setback,” and added that he has had “no subsequent issues.”
It is Gray’s second stroke in three years. In 2021, he was hospitalized for bronchitis when he had a mild stroke. He still worked on other council business while in the hospital.
In December of 2023, Gray announced that he won’t be running for reelection in 2024, closing out a nearly two-decade-long career in public service. His term is set to end on January 2025.
Gray began his first term on the council in 2005 and served as D.C. mayor from 2011-2015.
The Washington Post was first to report Gray’s health status.