Senator John McCain’s Life in Pictures

Senator John McCain passed away on Saturday, Aug. 25 after discontinuing medical treatment for brain cancer, which he was diagnosed with last year.

McCain began his career in the Navy, becoming a prisoner of war in Vietnam before making his way back to the United States and entering politics. Over the years, he led the charge on a number of issues, becoming a well-known figure in the government and even attempting multiple presidential runs.

Scroll through for a snapshot of the senator’s memorable life.

Navy

In 1958, McCain graduated from the United States Naval Academy. He then entered the Navy and became a naval aviator, continuing a family tradition, as both his father and grandfather were four-star admirals in the Navy.

Capture

McCain was overseas during the Vietnam War when his plane was shot down, resulting in his capture by the North Vietnamese. After his plane was hit with a missile over Hanoi, McCain injured both arms and a leg when he was ejected from the craft, but was only given medical care when his captors discovered his father was an admiral.

The below photo reportedly shows McCain being pulled ashore after he landed in the water in Hanoi.

POW

The politician remained a prisoner of war until 1973 and was left with physical disabilities as a result of the injuries he sustained. He was offered early release but refused and was ultimately subjected to beatings and torture.

The photo below shows McCain being examined by a Vietnamese doctor after his capture in 1967.

Family life

McCain married his second wife, Cindy Hensley, in 1980. They welcomed three children — daughter Meghan and sons John Sidney IV and James. In 1991, the couple adopted a three-month-old girl from Bangladesh and named her Bridget. McCain was also father to daughter Sidney with ex-wife Carol Shepp, and he had adopted Shepp’s children Douglas and Andrew.

House of Representatives

McCain began his political career in the ’80s with a seat in the House of Representatives, where he served two terms and was assigned to the House Committee on Interior Affairs. During his second term, he earned a spot on the House Foreign Affairs Committee. 

Senate

This was the year McCain earned his Senate seat as a representative for Arizona. He was reelected five times, the most recent being in 2016. During his career, he took stances on issues including the Iraq war, immigration reform and healthcare.

Here, he is shown with Senator John Kerry in 1992, with the pair examining a book containing names of unaccounted for soldiers who served in the Vietnam War. Both Kerry and McCain served in the war, and McCain was a member of the 1991–1993 Senate Select Committee on POW/MIA Affairs, which Kerry chaired.

Primaries

In 2000, McCain entered the presidential race in the primaries but was defeated by George W. Bush, who would go on to become President. Below, McCain and his wife are showered in confetti after his 114th and final town hall meeting that year.

Presidential race

McCain was the Republican nominee for President during the 2008 election but ultimately lost to Barack Obama by a 365–173 electoral college vote. This photo was taken at the pair’s third and final presidential debate at Hofstra University in October 2008.

Diagnosis

McCain held his Senate seat until his death but reduced his role in 2017 after his diagnosis and undergoing brain surgery. Still, he continued to remain active that year, casting multiple votes in relation to Obamacare. He ultimately did not vote in the Senate after December 2017.