Rep. Ron Wright (R-Texas) died Sunday after battling COVID-19, his family confirmed to The Dallas Morning News on Monday.
Wright, 67, tested positive for COVID-19 in late January. He said in a statement at the time that he was experiencing “minor symptoms.”
The Texas Republican was also diagnosed with lung cancer in 2018, and was admitted to a Dallas hospital in September 2020 due to complications from his treatment.
“As friends, family, and many of his constituents will know, Ron maintained his quick wit and optimism until the very end,” the congressman’s office said in a statement. “Despite years of painful, sometimes debilitating treatment for cancer, Ron never lacked the desire to get up and go to work, to motivate those around him, or to offer fatherly advice.”
The statement notes that Wright’s wife, Susan, was hospitalized with COVID-19 two weeks ago.
Wright is the first sitting member of Congress to die after being diagnosed with COVID-19. Rep.-elect Luke Letlow (R-La.), 41, died of the disease in late December, days before he was set to be sworn in.
Wright was reelected to his seat in November 2020.
CORRECTION: Due to an editing error, a previous version of this article misstated when Wright was diagnosed with cancer. It was 2018, not 2019.