Former Congressman Ken Hechler, D-WV, hospitalized in serious condition at 101

[Adenoid_Hynkel]

Source: Herald-Dispatch



HUNTINGTON – Longtime Huntington resident, ex-congressman and former secretary of state Ken Hechler is hospitalized in serious condition, according to his wife, Carol.

Hechler, 101, now living in Romney, West Virginia, was rushed to a nearby hospital Wednesday night, before falling nonresponsive and eventually being transferred to another facility in Cumberland, Maryland.

Carol Hechler sought “lots of prayers for (her) dear husband” via Facebook late Wednesday, before updating his condition with midday Thursday with The Herald-Dispatch.


(...)

Hechler, a Democrat, was first elected to Congress in 1958 and served until 1977. He was West Virginia Secretary of State from 1985 to 2001. He then lost a bid for the U.S. Senate, running on a platform opposed to mountaintop removal mining, following the death of Robert C. Byrd.

Read more: http://www.herald-dispatch.com/news/hechler-hospitalized-at/article_a661fa7c-6de0-11e5-ab0a-bf349bd4cc2b.html

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Troubling news from West Virginia today about our longtime progressive champion.

The only sitting member of Congress to march with MLK and an aide to Truman and FDR. He's been active in liberal causes since the 30s.

[phleshdef]

1. I met him once. My father did a painting for his SOS campaign one year.

And my grandmother was close friends with one of his top campaign operatives. He has lived a long, fruitful life.

[Adenoid_Hynkel]

2. His life is like a movie

He's worked with everyone from JFK to John Phillip Sousa

He was even the interrogator of Hermann Goerring, when he was captured by the allies after WWII.

[valerief]

3. Good for him for living that long! nt

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4. Legendary historian, former aide to President Roosevelt and President Truman,

Ken Hechler has remained at the forefront of civil rights and environmental justice, from Selma in 1965 to Coal River Mountain, West Virginia where he has worked 50 years protecting citizens against reckless strip mining and mountaintop removal.
Huff Post, "From Selma to Coal River: Ken Hechler's Century of Hellraising Leadership Marches On", Jeff Biggers, 9/20/13.
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/jeff-biggers/from-selma-to-coal-river_b_3961907.html

Earth Justice, Mountain Hero Ken Hechler.
http://earthjustice.org/mountain-heroes/ken-hechler

Ken Hechler is a much respected and longtime popular leader who has served and fought tirelessly for the people of West Virginia. All the best to Ken and his loved ones at this trying time.




Ludendorff Bridge on the Rhine River in Remagen, Germany, seized by American troops advancing into Nazi Germany, March 1945.



During World War II Hechler served as an officer in the US Army assigned as combat historian in the European Theater. He was attached to an armored division with troops that captured the Ludendorff Bridge on the Rhine River in Remagen, Germany and later authored the work, "The Bridge at Remagen: A WW II Story" in 1957.

The book accounts the critical takeover of the key Ludendorff Bridge at Remagen by advancing US forces in March 1945 which enabled the Allied spearhead invasion into the heart of Nazi Germany, and the end of the war.
Hechler's publication was the basis for the 1969 war film of the same name with actor George Segal and others.

[Adenoid_Hynkel]

5. He once told me

that, until the second FDR wheeled into the room at their first official meeting after being hired, he had no idea the president was disabled. They kept it covered up that well.

[appalachiablue]

6. That's remarkable but illustrates the great difference in treatment by the press now.

How good that you knew him, he seemed like a very approachable and outgoing person. My parents, esp. my mother thought a great deal of FDR. I would love to see Hyde Park; several years ago we stopped at Sagamore Hill on LI, TR's home.
Hechler was a well known figure when I was growing up in Htgn. who I might have taken for granted, looking back on it. He came and spoke at my HS. I've learned much more about his active life later, esp. his very interesting WWII service.

My father was a 1st Lieut. in the 7th Army in the Rhineland Campaign and the liberation of Dachau. When young I traveled with European friends to Munich and Nuremberg, not realizing until decades later that my father had been there. I recently received his bronze star that is the symbol used for my avatar.

Ken is one of many in a generation that is disappearing or have gone, from an era of strong liberal political figures who were committed, well educated and very engaged with government service and the public good. Times change for sure.

[Adenoid_Hynkel]

7. UPDATE: He's recovering

You know what Mark Twain said....:

CUMBERLAND, Md., — Ken Hechler,the 101-year-old former secretary of state, is making a rapid recovery from issues that hospitalized him 24 hours earlier.

"The miracle man has done it again," Carol Hechler reported around 7:30 p.m. Thursday. Her husband roused from an unresponsive state shortly after 6 p.m., asking for something sweet to eat.

Internal bleeding that had led to his re-hospitalization Wednesday night had stopped, she reported.

"He wanted to know if he could give a speech at Allegany College next week," Carol said.

http://www.hampshirereview.com/news/article_cbbb6244-6de1-11e5-9b92-bffe84f34d24.html

[appalachiablue]

8. Excellent news! Do you cross post in the WV Group? I would my my device can't manage it.