Childhood and Education Journey of John Fetterman in Timeline

An overview of the childhood and early education of John Fetterman, highlighting the experiences that shaped the journey.

John Fetterman is an American politician currently serving as the senior United States senator from Pennsylvania, a position he has held since 2023. A member of the Democratic Party, Fetterman previously served as the mayor of Braddock, Pennsylvania, from 2006 to 2019. Following his mayoral tenure, he served as the 34th lieutenant governor of Pennsylvania from 2019 to 2023, marking a continued presence in Pennsylvania's political landscape.

Sections (6)

Full Timeline Early Life & Education Career & Achievements Success & Recognition Challenges & Struggles Controversies & Scandals

August 15, 1969: John Fetterman's Birth

On August 15, 1969, John Karl Fetterman was born. He is now a senior United States senator from Pennsylvania.

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1991: Graduation from Albright College

In 1991, John Fetterman graduated from Albright College, his father's alma mater, with a bachelor's degree in finance.

1993: Receiving MBA from UConn

In 1993, John Fetterman received a Master of Business Administration (MBA) degree from the University of Connecticut (UConn).

1995: Joining AmeriCorps

In 1995, John Fetterman joined the recently founded AmeriCorps and was sent to teach Pittsburgh students pursuing their GEDs.

1999: Graduation from Harvard

In 1999, John Fetterman graduated from Harvard Kennedy School at Harvard University with a Master of Public Policy degree.

2001: Starting Youth Program

In 2001, John Fetterman came to Braddock to start an Out-of-School-Youth Program, helping local youth to earn their GEDs.

2004: Moving to Braddock

In 2004, John Fetterman moved to Braddock, Pennsylvania.

2005: Elected Mayor of Braddock

In 2005, John Fetterman ran for and won the election to become the mayor of Braddock, Pennsylvania, defeating the incumbent, Pauline Abdullah.

2006: Opposing Expressway Expansion

In 2006, John Fetterman opposed the expansion of the Mon-Fayette Expressway, arguing it would harm Braddock.

2007: Gisele Barreto Fetterman Writes a Letter

In 2007, Gisele Barreto Fetterman, then an undocumented immigrant, learned about John Fetterman's mayoral work in Braddock and wrote him a letter. This initial contact led to her visiting Braddock upon his invitation.

February 25, 2009: Appearance on The Colbert Report

On February 25, 2009, John Fetterman appeared on The Colbert Report to discuss Braddock's economic challenges and potential support from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009.

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2009: Town Council Disputes

In 2009, John Fetterman faced attempts to remove him from a town council meeting and faced code violation accusations, highlighting a contentious relationship with the Braddock town council.

November 2010: Efforts to Close Nightclub

Also in November 2010, John Fetterman took a leading role in trying to close down Club 804, a Braddock nightclub, after a shooting occurred there.

November 2010: Arrested at Protest

In November 2010, John Fetterman was arrested and released after protesting the closure of Braddock Hospital at the U.S. Steel Tower in Pittsburgh.

2012: Voting to Choose Council President

In 2012, John Fetterman cast his only vote during his tenure as mayor to help the borough council choose a president.

2012: Fetterman Pays Off Unpaid Taxes

In 2012, John Fetterman settled the unpaid tax lien of $25,000 that Allegheny County had placed against him and his nonprofit, Braddock Redux.

January 2013: Shotgun Incident

In January 2013, John Fetterman detained an unarmed jogger, Chris Miyares, with a shotgun in North Braddock, leading to controversy.

2013: Establishing Superior Motors

In 2013, John Fetterman and Kevin Sousa established Superior Motors, a restaurant in Braddock.

2013: Filming Out of the Furnace in Braddock

In 2013, John Fetterman worked with actor Christian Bale and director Scott Cooper during the filming of 'Out of the Furnace' in Braddock.

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2013: Marrying LGBT Couples

Starting in 2013, John Fetterman began defying a 1996 Pennsylvania law and started to marry LGBT couples inside his home.

November 14, 2017: Announcing Candidacy for Lieutenant Governor

On November 14, 2017, John Fetterman announced his candidacy for the Democratic nomination for lieutenant governor of Pennsylvania.

2017: Diagnosis of Atrial Fibrillation

In 2017, John Fetterman was hospitalized due to swollen feet and diagnosed with atrial fibrillation and a decreased heart pump by cardiologist Ramesh Chandra, although this was not made public until 2022.

2017: Superior Motors Opens

In 2017, the restaurant Superior Motors opened, but closed in 2021.

November 6, 2018: Election as Lieutenant Governor

On November 6, 2018, John Fetterman and Tom Wolf defeated the Republican ticket of Scott Wagner and Jeff Bartos in the general election, making Fetterman the Lieutenant Governor.

2018: Public Discussion of Weight Loss

In 2018, John Fetterman publicly discussed his significant weight loss, revealing that he had lost approximately 150 pounds from a starting weight of over 400 pounds.

January 15, 2019: Sworn in as Lieutenant Governor

On January 15, 2019, John Fetterman was sworn into office as the lieutenant governor of Pennsylvania.

June 4, 2019: Fetterman Collapses While Presiding Over State Senate

On June 4, 2019, John Fetterman reportedly "collapsed" while presiding over the State Senate, becoming wobbly and needing to grab the lectern. He was examined by the Capitol's nursing staff and attributed the incident to overheating.

November 2020: Response to Trump's Election Claims

In November 2020, John Fetterman responded to Donald Trump's voter fraud allegations in Pennsylvania by stating Trump was "no different than any other random internet troll".

2020: Superior Motors Receives Loan

In 2020, Superior Motors received a Paycheck Protection Program loan for $190,000.

2020: Response to 2020 Election Fraud Claims

In 2020, after Joe Biden won the presidential election in Pennsylvania and Trump claimed voter fraud, Fetterman responded to Texas lieutenant governor Dan Patrick's reward offer for proving fraud by pointing out three cases of voter fraud in Pennsylvania and sarcastically congratulating Trump on winning the "dead mother vote".

2021: Superior Motors Closed

In 2021, Superior Motors restaurant closed amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

May 13, 2022: Fetterman Suffers Ischemic Stroke

On May 13, 2022, John Fetterman experienced an ischemic stroke due to a clot caused by atrial fibrillation, which resulted in his hospitalization. His doctors implanted a pacemaker and defibrillator due to cardiomyopathy.

May 2022: Fetterman's Stroke

In May 2022, John Fetterman suffered a stroke caused by a clot from atrial fibrillation. This led to the public disclosure of his 2017 heart condition diagnosis.

May 22, 2022: Fetterman Discharged From Hospital

On May 22, 2022, John Fetterman was discharged from the hospital after being treated for an ischemic stroke and receiving a pacemaker and defibrillator.

June 2022: Medical Update from Dr. Chandra

In a letter in early June 2022, Dr. Chandra reported that John Fetterman was "well compensated and stable" after his stroke, expecting a full recovery with medication, healthy eating, and exercise.

August 2022: First Public Appearance After Stroke

In August 2022, Fetterman made his first public appearance since recovering from a stroke at a rally in Erie. While he appeared physically healthy, his speech was sometimes halting.

October 2022: First In-Person Interview After Stroke

In October 2022, John Fetterman gave his first in-person interview since his stroke, with Dasha Burns on NBC Nightly News with Lester Holt. He required closed-captioning technology during the interview, which drew criticism.

October 2022: Medical Update on Cognitive and Communication Improvement

In October 2022, John Fetterman's primary care physician provided a medical update, noting that Fetterman "spoke intelligently without cognitive deficits" and had significantly improved communication, despite auditory processing issues. He was attending speech therapy and had no work restrictions.

December 2022: Fetterman Posts Photo with Christian Bale on 'The Pale Blue Eye' Set

In December 2022, John Fetterman posted a photo of himself and his wife with actor Christian Bale on the set of the film 'The Pale Blue Eye', where Fetterman had a cameo appearance.

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February 8, 2023: Fetterman Hospitalized After Feeling Lightheaded

On February 8, 2023, John Fetterman was hospitalized overnight after feeling lightheaded during a U.S. Senate retreat. His office stated that he was in "good spirits" and the hospitalization was unrelated to his previous stroke.

February 10, 2023: Hospitalized for Syncope

On February 10, 2023, John Fetterman was hospitalized for syncope (lightheadedness).

February 16, 2023: Fetterman Checks Into Walter Reed for Clinical Depression

On February 16, 2023, John Fetterman checked himself into Walter Reed Hospital to receive treatment for clinical depression. He was expected to remain hospitalized for "likely less than two months."

June 9, 2024: Fetterman Involved in Two-Car Crash

On June 9, 2024, John Fetterman and his wife were hospitalized after a two-car crash in Maryland. They were quickly released, and Fetterman was found at fault for rear-ending another vehicle while speeding.