Senator Durbin’s daughter has died.
Christine Durbin, the oldest daughter of Sen. Dick Durbin and his wife, Loretta, died Saturday of complications from a congenital heart condition in a Washington-area hospital, the senator’s Washington office announced.
Christine Durbin was one of three children in the Illinois senator’s family and had worked for 16 years in the Department of Agriculture’s emerging markets division in Washington. Christine Durbin also is survived by a brother, Paul; a sister, Jennifer; her husband, Marty Johnson; and a son, Alex.
“Chris Durbin, 40, fought a heroic, lifelong battle with heart disease and our thoughts and prayers are with the entire Durbin family,” the senator’s office said in a statement.
Her death comes days before Durbin, who ranks second in the Senate Democratic leadership, seeks re-election Tuesday. Durbin’s office said funeral arrangements were pending.
Just awful. I don’t have kids, but I can’t imagine being in a position where I outlived my child. Condolences to Senator Durbin and family.
dbrown
A terrible tragedy – no more tragic, heart-breaking event can compare. I am deeply sorry. For this reason, all Americans need to vote for life – only Democrats support the medical insurance system that will protect all Americans: poor, rich, young, and old. Protect our right to live healthy and guarantee protection for all children. Obama supports life.
Conservatively Liberal
Children are not supposed to die before their parents, this is a nightmare that every parent dreads from the moment their first child is born. Politics don’t matter, it is a tragedy when someone dies young.
My condolences to Senator Durbin, his family, her husband and their child in their time of sorrow. How sad.
The Conservative Deflator
This is a great tragedy and Senator Durbin is a genuinely nice guy who is respected by both sides of the aisles. Condolences to all of the people who knew Chris and loved her.
glesslib
I sent a condonlence letter to his office yesterday. He is truly one of the good guys. What a sad moment. I have children about that age and would be devastated if anything took them.
Capri
My daughter is a good friend of a relative of Durbin. They are great people as folks in Indiana would say. My thoughts and prayers are with the family.
El Caballo de Sangre
There’s a scene in an episode of Six Feet Under where Rachel Griffiths’ character talks about how there’s a name for it when your spouse dies, or your parents die, but not for when your kid dies – and that’s because it’s just too fucking horrible to put a name to. Forty years old, whatever, it doesn’t matter – that’s some cruel bullshit for Sen. Durbin to deal with and I hope he’s OK.
And dbrown? Listen, I don’t know you, and thus I’ll refrain from saying what I feel like saying after reading your comment, but there is just no fucking place for a "Vote Obama" message in this. That’s just really crass.
dbrown
I do not understand why reminding people of this truth is wrong especially since I was and am very respectful and sorry for this families lost and in no way said anything wrong or disrepectful. Also, I am sorry if you believe somehow I did that but people in Congress decide every day who lives and who die – especially children. To ignore that is worst than a lie – it is a hit at all people who really care and his families true pain is the same as these people. A congressman’s pain is what many other people experience every day but no one really cares about them (who’d have time) but as a result of many congressmans vote on complex or not so complex issues, people are helped or hurt.
Please, don’t act that somehow only special people like congressman at a time like this deserve our respect just in a non-political way. I too have respect for this man, as well. I do feel that if you respect this man’s pain, it is critical to realize that others will suffer terribly if repub-a-thugs continue to stop life-saving health care for so many millions. Hopefully this congressman supported aid for others that like him have had sick children but please, don’t act like this is not the time or place to point out how critical it is for Obama to be elected so others can avoid such pain. Repub-a-thugs do not show any concern for far too many who also suffer just to make sure the rich get richer and that requires people to remember this truth, especially at times like this.
Delia
This is very sad. Medical science has eliminated a lot of the communicable diseases in this country that carried off many children in earlier generations. But the fact is that there are still many tragedies we can’t eliminate. I’ve had friends who lost children within a week or two of birth to congenital heart defects. Even though they later had healthy children they continued to mourn the one that died. There are some things in life that are just sad.