It was in late 1988, shortly after his failed presidential campaign, that a life-threatening medical crisis threatened to cut short Biden’s political career. The then Senator from Delaware was diagnosed with an intracranial berry aneurysm – a dangerous condition that could have cost him his life. However, it was a risky surgery that altered the course of his life and set him on a path that would ultimately lead to the White House.
Throughout his public life, Biden has often stated his enduring belief in the power of resilience. This belief was significantly tested during his encounter with a brain aneurysm. In February 1988, he began to experience severe neck pain during a flight back home. Initially dismissed as a possible pinched nerve or muscle strain, the condition grew progressively worse.
An intracranial berry aneurysm, as Biden was later diagnosed with, is a bulge in a blood vessel caused by a weakness in the blood vessel wall, often where it branches. As blood passes through the weakened blood vessel, the blood pressure causes a small area to bulge outwards like a balloon. The medical stakes are extremely high as ruptured brain aneurysms are fatal in about 50% of cases, with 15% of people dying before reaching the hospital. In Biden’s case, it was bleeding in his brain, which made the situation even more critical.
Getting diagnosed was only half the battle fought; the real challenge lay in navigating through treatment options. His doctors at the Delaware hospital where he was taken opted for one of the riskiest – surgery. The procedure involved opening the skull, tracing the blood vessels to the base of the brain, and placing a metal clip across the neck of the aneurysm to stop blood flow. While this was by no means an assured road to recovery, with the possibility of several complications such as stroke, seizures, or even death, it was a chance Biden was willing and had to take.
The surgery, performed in the spring of 1988 at the Walter Reed Army Medical Center, was successful. Thereafter, Biden endured a gruelling recovery period involving painful headaches and speech trouble, while also dealing with another smaller aneurysm that doctors found necessary to treat as a preventive measure to avoid future complications.
The experience was transformative for Biden. Not only did it fortify his resolve, but it also gave him a renewed perspective on life’s fragility and the importance of consistent healthcare. He was familiar with personal loss, having endured the tragic death of his wife and daughter in a car accident in 1972, and his own struggle against a deadly health condition added another layer to his character, portraying him as a resilient fighter, both personally and politically.
The aneurysm episode presented Biden with a strong reminder of life’s unpredictability. It reaffirmed his sense of purpose and gave him a compassionate perspective about the brevity of life. The surgery’s success allowed him to continue his life of public service. Serving as the Vice President to President Barack Obama, and now in his current role as the President of the United States, Biden’s journey is testimony to the extraordinary human capacity for overcoming adversities.
