Former Chicago Mayor Richard M. Daley back at home after being hospitalized for stroke

Former Mayor Richard M. Daley was hospitalized earlier this month after suffering a stroke, but has since returned home and is doing fine, according to his former press secretary.

Daley's former press secretary, Jacquelyn Heard, confirmed that Daley suffered a relatively minor stroke earlier this month, and has returned home after a few days in the hospital.

Heard said she spoke to Daley on Tuesday, and he was doing fine. She confirmed initial reports by the Chicago Sun-Times that Daley is undergoing rehabilitation, but is out of danger.

Daley, who turns 84 on Friday, and was the longest-serving mayor in Chicago history, also was hospitalized while in office in 2000, after suffering chest pains and hypertension. At the time, Daley revealed that he hadn't had a physical exam in 10 years.

Daley and his late wife, Maggie, were hospitalized together in December 2002 after both passed out from flu-related dehydration.

In 2014, he spent several days in the intensive care unit at Northwestern Memorial Hospital after becoming disoriented during a business trip.

In 2022, Daley was hospitalized for nearly two weeks – first at Northwestern and then at Shirley Ryan AbilityLab – after suffering a "neurological event."

Daley served as mayor from 1989 until 2011 – the longest stretch of any Chicago mayor. His father, Richard J. Daley, served almost as long, from 1955 until 1976, when he died of a heart attack.