U.S. Senator Mark Warner, a Democrat from Virginia, announced Monday that his 36-year-old daughter Madison Warner died after a long battle with juvenile diabetes and other health issues.
The senator’s office posted the announcement on X. Warner and his wife Lisa Collis issued the statement through his office.
“We are heartbroken beyond words by the passing of our beloved daughter, Madison, 36, after a decades-long battle with juvenile diabetes and other health issues,” Warner and Collis said in the release.
“She filled our lives with love and laughter, and her absence leaves an immeasurable void,” they added. “We are grateful for the loving support of friends and family during this difficult time and ask for privacy as we navigate this profound loss.”
Political service and family details
Warner first won election to the Senate in 2008. He won reelection in 2014 and 2020. He is scheduled to run again later this year. Before entering the Senate, he served as Virginia governor from 2002 to 2006.
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The family lives in Alexandria, Virginia, just outside Washington, D.C. Warner and Collis have two other daughters, Gillian and Eliza. Madison graduated from Brown University in 2012 and kept a low public profile during her father’s nearly two decades in the Senate and earlier time as governor.
Photos from earlier years show Madison with her family at events, including standing beside her father as he took the Senate oath of office in 2009 with then-Vice President Joe Biden present. Other images from 2008 and 2013 show her at election night gatherings and family appearances.
Congressional Message to Warner
Members of Congress from both parties posted messages on X offering support after the announcement. Texas Republican Congressman August Pfluger wrote, “I am incredibly sorry for your loss.” South Carolina Republican Congresswoman Nancy Mace posted, “Our deepest condolences.”
Madison lived with type 1 diabetes for most of her life. The condition demands constant blood sugar monitoring, insulin use, and careful daily management.
Despite her father’s high-profile career, she chose to stay largely outside the spotlight, focusing on her own path after university while dealing with the ongoing demands of her chronic illness.
This private approach allowed her to maintain a normal life away from political attention even as her family remained in the public eye for nearly 20 years.
Why this matters
The death of Madison Warner at age 36 points to the serious effects of type 1 diabetes, also called juvenile diabetes. The condition is incurable and requires lifelong treatment. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reports that about 2.1 million people in the United States have received this diagnosis.
Public officials like Senator Warner balance long careers in office with private family responsibilities. Warner has served Virginia voters continuously since 2002 in state and federal roles.
His family’s statement makes clear the personal cost such service can carry alongside public duties.
