Illinois State Senate President Emil Jones Jr., D-Chicago, went home from the hospital Jan. 4, one day after undergoing angioplasty to unclog a heart artery.
Jones, 70, had a stent inserted into his right coronary artery; this procedure opened a small blockage. He had felt tightness in his chest. Jones underwent the procedure at the University of Chicago Hospitals.
Jones’ spokeswoman, Cindy Davidsmeyer, told Windy City Times that he is definitely on the mend. ‘He got to come home [Jan. 4] from the hospital. I just spoke with him and he sounds like he’s ready to go,’ she said. ‘He’s planning on being in Springfield on [Jan. 11].’ When asked if Jones plans on easing back into things, Davidsmeyer chuckled before answering that staying home and resting for a few days would probably be his idea of doing that.
The state assemblyman was instrumental in last year’s passage of the gay-rights measure. He received several honors for his role, including an Equality Award from the Human Rights Campaign.