Longest-Serving Congresswoman Speaks Out After Hit-and-Run Recovery

Clear Facts

• Rep. Marcy Kaptur, D-Ohio, and staffer Keegan Zimmerman were struck by a hit-and-run driver while traveling to church in Toledo on their way to a Sunday service
• The 80-year-old congresswoman, the longest-serving woman in U.S. House history, sustained non-life-threatening injuries and is now in physical rehabilitation
• Kaptur is seeking re-election in November in a rematch against former Ohio State Rep. Derek Merrin in what is expected to be a key battleground race

Rep. Marcy Kaptur has broken her silence following a hit-and-run crash earlier this month, releasing a video message thanking supporters and providing an update on her recovery. The Ohio Democrat, who has served in Congress since 1983, appeared in good spirits despite the circumstances surrounding the incident.

The crash occurred near Detroit and Central avenues in Toledo as Kaptur and her congressional staffer Keegan Zimmerman were traveling to a church service. Ohio authorities classified the incident as a “hit-skip” crash, the state’s legal term for when a driver flees the scene without stopping.

“Dear friends, first of all, thank you so very, very much for the thousands of good wishes that are coming from our community, across our region, our state, our country, and even around the world,” Kaptur said in the video.

“Really, it’s made a huge difference in my very rapid recovery.”

The 22-term congresswoman appeared seated in what looked like a wheelchair in front of an office window. She provided reassurance about both her condition and that of her staffer who accompanied her that day.

“I want to thank all of you on behalf of myself, my beautiful staff, including Keegan Zimmerman who was with me on that fateful day on Sunday a week ago,” she continued.

“He also is in good shape. And I’m working my way back and am so grateful for all of the help that has been given to me in this effort.”

The timing of the incident coincides with the House’s August recess, providing Kaptur additional recovery time before Congress reconvenes. The 80-year-old representative expressed gratitude for this scheduling, noting it allows her to focus on rehabilitation without missing legislative duties.

“We will not return to Washington until next month, so I’m blessed to have time to recover fully, and I want to thank the first responders, the fire and rescue squads, the police, and all of the medical personnel that served us at such a fateful moment,” she said.

Kaptur’s office initially reported that she suffered non-life-threatening injuries and remained active and alert following the collision. In her video message, she provided more detail about her treatment experience at Mercy St. Vincent’s hospital in Toledo.

“It was not a pleasant experience and there were wounds that resulted, but let me tell you we have to be very grateful in this region to have the kind of dedicated medical staff that exists at Mercy St. Vincent’s treating patients from across this region, many of are underserved,” she stated.

“Absolute dedication to saving lives. I was just so impressed.”

The congresswoman faces a challenging re-election battle in November. She will square off against former Ohio State Rep. Derek Merrin in a rematch of their 2024 contest, which proved to be one of the closest races in the country.

In that previous election, Kaptur secured victory by just over the 0.5% margin that would have triggered an automatic recount. A Libertarian candidate captured approximately 4% of the vote, potentially influencing the razor-thin outcome.

The upcoming race is expected to be a key battleground in determining House control, particularly given Ohio’s status as a bellwether state. Both parties are closely watching the district as a potential indicator of broader electoral trends.

Despite the political pressures ahead, Kaptur’s video message focused on gratitude and healing. She concluded by sharing a touching moment, displaying a handmade get-well card from a young supporter named Avery.

“We’ve heard from many people of many ages, and I received this card from a young gentleman named Avery,” she said, holding up the card featuring a drawing of a brown dog.

“Isn’t this sweet? That’s his dog, Charlie. And he and I happen to be friends. And he was worried about me. So he did this card for me.”

The card read “Get well soon” and was signed by Avery and his family members. Kaptur noted her particular fondness for the dog depicted in the drawing.

“These are wonderful people, and they uplift your spirits, and each of you uplift my spirit as we move forward,” she concluded.

As the longest-serving woman in U.S. House history, Kaptur’s recovery and return to full legislative duties will be closely monitored by both supporters and political observers. The hit-and-run driver has not been publicly identified, and the investigation into the crash remains ongoing.

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