Senate President Ben Albritton, R-Wauchula, was released late Tuesday afternoon from UF Health Shands Hospital and returned to Tallahassee after a health scare that started with chest pain over the weekend.
Albritton said in a memo to senators Wednesday morning that he will receive care for recurring blood clots but that tests did not show a heart abnormality.
Albritton went to Tallahassee Memorial Hospital after experiencing chest pain Sunday and was found to have a blood clot in his lung and what was described as a “potential abnormality” in his heart. He subsequently went to Shands in Gainesville for further tests.
“Under the care of the multidisciplinary team at Shands, I underwent extensive testing and further analysis of the blood clot in my lung (pulmonary embolism), damage to the surrounding area of my lung (lung infarction) and the potential abnormality in the upper left region of my heart,” Albritton said in the memo.
“The great news is that upon further review and with additional imaging, cardiologists at Shands determined that either there was no abnormality in my heart, or God chose to heal it. My heart is in great shape, which was quite a relief to hear. I know what I believe happened. God is faithful!”
Albritton, 57, said he has experienced three blood clots in the past six years and, as a result, will remain under the care of a hematologist and take medication to help prevent future clotting.
“I have a number of follow-up appointments and additional screenings to complete over the next few months as I recover from the blood clot in my lung and adjust to the new medication,” Albritton said in the memo. “The future is bright.”
He also said he would “take the upcoming days to recuperate and rest.”
The medical issues came at the start of the third week of the annual legislative session, which is scheduled to end March 13. The Senate will hold a floor session Thursday, and an earlier memo said Sen. Jason Brodeur, a Sanford Republican who is president pro tempore, would preside if Albritton is unable to be there.
Albritton, a citrus grower, is in his second year as Senate president, one of the most-powerful positions in the state. He was first elected to the Florida House in 2010, before getting elected to the Senate in 2018. He began serving as Senate president after the 2024 elections and will leave the post after this year’s elections.
He frequently discusses his Christian faith, which was prominent in his memo Wednesday, along with thanking staff members at Tallahassee Memorial and Shands.
“Above all, I want to give glory to God, for protecting me and guiding us through this difficult time,” Albritton said. “By the grace of God and through His divine healing, I am getting better. Additionally, through the knowledge and wisdom He has given to so many medical professionals, I am fully informed and can make important decisions about my health moving forward. Praise God!”
