Former Rep. Ron Paul hospitalized after livestreamed medical episode

Former congressman and presidential candidate Ron Paul was hospitalized Friday after he appeared to suffer a medical episode while recording his YouTube show.

The 85-year-old was speaking about the free markets on his show “The Ron Paul Liberty Report” when he began to slur his words and seemed to lose the ability to speak.

Fox News reported he’d been taken to a hospital in Texas for “precautionary” reasons.

Paul tweeted out a picture of himself in his hospital bed, writing, “I am doing fine. Thank you for your concern.”

His son, Sen. Rand Paul, R-Ky., also tweeted about the incident, saying, “Thank God, Dad is doing well. Thank you for all your prayers today.”

Numerous members of Congress expressed their best wishes to the family on social media after disturbing video of the incident went viral, including Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas.

“Heidi & I are lifting up in prayer @RonPaul and @RandPaul and their family,” Cruz tweeted. “For many decades, he has been an extraordinary warrior for Liberty. May God’s healing hand be upon Dr. Paul, and may God’s Peace and Grace be upon the entire family.”

Paul, a former 12-term congressman from Texas and physician, ran for president three times, first as a Libertarian in 1988 and then as a Republican in 2008 and 2012.

source: nbcnews.com