U.S. Senator John McCain Has Died At Age 81

He battled brain cancer with the same tenacity that kept him alive in a Viet Nam prisoner of war camp and saw him through more than thirty years as a member of the House of Representatives, a Senator and Republican Presidential candidate.

John McCain was hailed a war hero after being shot down over Hanoi during the Viet Nam war. He was held prisoner for five years, subjected to solitary confinement for two years and beaten. At times, he was suspended by ropes lashing his arms behind him.

He eventually cracked and signed a confession. No one at home believed it, but he still felt he had betrayed his country.

As a politician he was considered a maverick, challenging not only the Democrats but his own Republican Party when he felt it was necessary. This included being sharply critical of current President Donald Trump and casting the deciding vote that derailed the Republican drive to overturn the Affordable Care Act introduced by the Obama Administration. He told colleagues he felt compelled to “do the right thing” saying the vote presented the Senate with an opportunity to start fresh.

McCain suffered from glioblastoma – a malignant brain tumor discovered in 2017. He had been treated with radiation and chemotherapy until Friday when his family says he decided to end the treatments.

He died at 4:28 pm Saturday.

Senator John McCain was an American patriot and hero whose sacrifices for his country, and lifetime of public service, were an inspiration to millions. Canadians join Americans tonight in celebrating his life and mourning his passing.

— Justin Trudeau (@JustinTrudeau) August 26, 2018