U.S. Sen. Mark Kirk (R-Ill.), one of the founding members of the U.S. Senate Travel and Tourism Caucus, suffered a stroke on Saturday, according to a statement from a spokesperson of the senator.
"On Saturday, Senator Kirk checked himself into Lake Forest Hospital, where doctors discovered a carotid artery dissection in the right side of his neck," the spokesperson said. "He was transferred to Northwestern Memorial Hospital in Chicago, where further tests revealed that he had suffered an ischemic stroke."
Kirk, 52, underwent surgery on Monday morning to relieve swelling around his brain stemming from the stroke, and according to the statement, the surgery was successful.
"Due to his young age, good health and the nature of the stroke, doctors are very confident in the senator's recovery over the weeks ahead," the spokesperson said.
In June, Kirk joined forces with fellow senators Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.), Roy Blunt (R-Mo.) and Mark Begich (D-Alaska) to unveil the U.S. Senate Travel and Tourism Caucus, whose aim is to break down barriers to travel and raise awareness about the role the industry can play in providing jobs and revenue to the U.S. economy.
Follow Michelle Baran on Twitter @mbtravelweekly.