Fetterman opens up about near-death experience and how it changed his approach to politics

Sen. John Fetterman, D-Pa., opened up about his close brush with death on Fox News' new podcast, "Hang Out with Sean Hannity," saying it led him to let go of negativity and open himself to new conversations amid an increasingly polarized political landscape.

Fetterman survived a severe stroke during his 2022 Senate campaign. He told host Sean Hannity that the incident caused his heart to stop.

"There was kind of touch-and-go at that time. And thankfully I’ve made a full recovery."

The life-threatening stroke left Fetterman with an auditory processing disorder that hampers his ability to understand and communicate speech. To get around this, the senator uses a captioning device that transcribes what is being said, allowing him to read his conversation in real time.

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Similar technology was installed in his office and in the Senate chamber, where captions are typed out for him by professional broadcast captioners to help him perform his congressional duties.

Fetterman said the near-death experience inspired a sense of gratitude. 

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"That stroke could have ended me, or it could have taken my ability to speak or to move or for anything. So… I’m so grateful to be back here."

Despite the heated nature of modern politics, Fetterman said he refuses to get bogged down in bitterness.

"And that’s kind of why I’m like, I don’t hang on to any of the negativity… and that’s where I’m at. I’m always happy to have conversations with people. And that’s why, as things get more and more angry and more polarizing, it’s like, I’m not going to be part of that."

The full interview will be available Tuesday on "Hang Out with Sean Hannity," streaming on YouTube and Spotify.

Fox News Digital's Patrick Hauf and Aubrie Spady contributed to this report.