Senator John McCain’s Passing Brings a Wave of Emotion to Social Media

Social media wept as the United States mourned the death of Sen. John McCain Saturday after a long battle with a deadly form of brain cancer.

McCain, who endured more than five years as a prisoner of war in Vietnam before serving on Capitol Hill for more than 30 years and ran for president as the 2008 Republican presidential nominee, passed away at the age of 81.

Twitter users flooded the social media platform with messages of grief for the Arizona senator’s family and loved ones as news of his passing broke Saturday night.

“Senator John McCain is an American hero. He served the country and is a patriot. A spokesman for civility. An example of what people in Congress should mold themselves after. I hope folks in Congress find McCain’s courage to push back against this tyrant. RIP. He will be missed,” Democratic Coalition co-founder Scott Dworkin tweeted.

“John McCain’s mom is still alive at age 106, and reportedly still mentally sharp. I hope she’s doing well on this difficult day,” another user wrote.

McCain was a two-time presidential candidate, losing the GOP nomination in 2000 to George W. Bush and the general election to Barack Obama in 2008.

The unsuccessful White House bids were only two moments in a long political career that began with his election to the U.S. House of Representatives in 1982, as the Arizona Republic reports.

After two terms, McCain ascended to the U.S. Senate in 1987, replacing Republican U.S. Sen. Barry Goldwater, who in 1964 was the only other Arizonan to top the national ticket of a major U.S. political party.

McCain was re-elected to the Senate in 1992, 1998, 2004, 2010 and 2016. He became Arizona’s senior senator in 1995 and chairman of the influential Armed Services Committee in 2015.

Since the passing, President Donald Trump tweeted out his condolences from his official account.

“My deepest sympathies and respect go out to the family of Senator John McCain. Our hearts and prayers are with you!” He wrote in a tweet Saturday.

Former President Barack and Michelle Obama also shared a statement Saturday sending their thoughts to McCain’s family.

News of McCain’s death come a few days after his family announced they had discontinued treatment for a deadly form of brain cancer he first announced in July 2017.

“With his usual strength of will, he has now chosen to discontinue medical treatment,” read a statement from McCain’s family. “Our family is immensely grateful for the support and kindness of all his caregivers over the last year, and for the continuing outpouring of concern and affection from John’s many friends and associates, and the many thousands of people who are keeping him in their prayers. God bless and thank you all.”

The View co-host Meghan McCain also shared her own statement on her father’s death on Twitter.

Our thoughts and prayers are with Meghan and her family.