Sen. Mark Warner Says His Daughter Was 'Full of Ideas' for Him on the Day She Died as He Vows to Resume Work 'in Maddy's Name'

NEED TO KNOW

• Virginia Democratic Sen. Mark Warner said he would return to the Senate following the death of his daughter earlier this month

• Warner and his wife, Lisa Collis, announced the death of their daughter, Madison, on April 20. The 36-year-old had long battled juvenile diabetes and other health issues

• In a social media post on April 27, Warner said, "If I can find any solace during this time, it’s that I have the enormous privilege to serve Virginians and the responsibility to keep working for a better, more just world in Maddy’s name"

Sen. Mark Warner will return to the Senate this week following the death of his eldest daughter, Madison.

The Virginia Democrat and his wife, Lisa Collis, shared their daughter's passing on April 20, writing in a joint statement that the 36-year-old had long battled juvenile diabetes and other health issues. “She filled our lives with love and laughter, and her absence leaves an immeasurable void,” they wrote.

Condolences poured in from both sides of the aisle. “What a terrible loss at such a young age. May God comfort them,” Vice President JD Vance , who previously worked with Warner in the Senate, wrote on X .

In a social media post on Monday, April 27, Warner, 71, said his family “has been deeply touched by the outpouring of support we’ve received.”

“Maddy was a deeply empathetic and engaged person. Even as recently as the day she passed, she was full of ideas and suggestions for me – especially how I could improve my social media to make a difference,” Warner said. “She used to say to me: ‘Dad, you have the power – you have to use it.’ She pushed me to make the most of my position, to use my seat in the Senate to help people in meaningful ways.”

“If I can find any solace during this time, it’s that I have the enormous privilege to serve Virginians and the responsibility to keep working for a better, more just world in Maddy’s name,” he added. “I look forward to returning to the Senate this week and continuing that essential work.”

Warner, a former governor of Virginia and the state’s senior senator for more than a decade, had alluded to Madison’s health issues several times throughout his career.

Never miss a story — sign up for  PEOPLE's free daily newsletter  to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.

In 2019, Warner shared a Buzzfeed News article about Type 1 Diabetes on social media. “As the father of a daughter with Juvenile Diabetes, this just breaks my heart,” Warner responded to the article, titled “Turning 26 Is A Potential Death Sentence For People With Type 1 Diabetes In America.”

“Congress and the pharmaceutical companies need to step up to make sure insulin is affordable and accessible for those who need it,” he wrote at the time.

The same year, Warner spoke out against short-term health plans he said would discriminate against Americans with preexisting conditions. “Two of my three daughters have preexisting medical conditions that would not be covered under these junk plans," he said in a Senate floor speech.

Read the original article on People