Former Sen. David Pryor stable after stroke, speaking, son says

Former U.S. Sen. David Pryor is shown in this photo.
Former U.S. Sen. David Pryor is shown in this photo.

Former U.S. Sen. David Pryor remained hospitalized Thursday, three days after suffering a stroke at his Fayetteville home.

He was rushed to Washington Regional Medical Center in Fayetteville on Monday after falling ill.

Tuesday, the University of Arkansas System said in a press release that Pryor, the vice chairman of its board of trustees, was receiving "world-class care" and had undergone "a surgery that appears to have been successful."

No updates were issued Wednesday, but on Thursday his son, former U.S. Sen. Mark Pryor, said his father is making progress.

"He is still in the Critical Care Unit and will remain in the CCU until the doctors tell us otherwise," he wrote. "He is conscious and speaking, but he needs to rest and recover. He made it through the first 48 hours, which is an important benchmark for stroke victims, and he is stable.

"The family appreciates the prayers and the outpouring of support and we continue to ask for privacy as he recuperates. He is very strong and those prayers and the love he feels are helping him get better every day," Mark Pryor added.

The elder Pryor, 82, has been a pillar of the Democratic Party of Arkansas for more than a half century. A former governor, he served in the state Legislature and the U.S. House of Representatives before winning a spot in the U.S. Senate. He served three terms.

Since retiring, Pryor has remained active in civic and political affairs, including a stint as chairman of the Democratic Party of Arkansas after the August 2008 murder of Chairman Bill Gwatney.

Metro on 10/14/2016

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