NEW ORLEANS — After being hospitalized Sunday with discomfort in his right lung, former Louisiana governor Edwin Edwards, who turns 94 in August, said Tuesday that he had entered hospice care.
In a joint statement with his wife, Trina, Edwards stated, “While some believe hospice means I’m dying, I tell everyone it’s only a question of good and convenient care that is less bother for everyone.”
After an emergency ride to St. Elizabeth’s hospital near his house, he made the decision. A series of tests were performed by the doctors there, but none of them revealed anything.
Edwards, a Democrat, served seven years in Congress and then two terms as governor of Louisiana in the 1970s, during which time he supervised the passage of a new state constitution, appointed a record number of Black individuals to significant posts and fought for an oil tax that boosted state revenue. He was well-liked, with a sharp wit and a colorful lifestyle.
Edwards stated in a statement released Tuesday, “I’ve made no bones about the fact that I’ve considered myself on borrowed time for the past 20 years, and we all know that all this fun has to come to an end at some point.” “However, that isn’t going to happen anytime soon for me.” In fact, I’m organizing a 95th birthday celebration for next summer, and I’m hoping you’ll be able to attend.”