Unfettered

In this candid memoir, United States Senator John Fetterman shares the story of his journey in public service (which started by winning his first election by a single vote in 2005), including unvarnished details of his life-threatening stroke and struggles with depression, the truth about what really happens in Washington, and his vision for navigating our divided country’s future.

In his early twenties, John Fetterman seemed to be set for life. He had an MBA, a job in the risk management industry, and a comfortable future ahead of him. Yet something felt missing, insufficient, lacking in purpose. Having paired with Big Brothers and Big Sisters after a close friend’s tragic death, Fetterman decided to make a change and devote his life to public service instead—first in AmeriCorps, then as the mayor of Braddock, Pennsylvania, later as the state’s lieutenant governor, and now as its senior senator.

Today, Fetterman is the consummate anti-politician, instantly recognizable for his 6’8” height, his choice of facial hair, and his signature hoodies. A contrarian by nature, he quickly developed a reputation as a pugilist willing to take on Republicans and Democrats alike, in public if necessary. Little did the world know that his biggest fight was being waged in private, and often inside his own mind.

In Unfettered, Fetterman reveals, for the first time, the full story of a life and career marked by battles, from his work with community leaders to revitalize Braddock to his recovery from the stroke that nearly ended his political career, to his lifelong struggles with the depression that landed him in Walter Reed National Military Medical Center and nearly ended his life. At each step, Fetterman displays a rare level of candor for a sitting senator, sharing insights into the difficult and nonlinear path to mental health, the strain his challenges have placed on his family, the auditory processing issues he’s still overcoming, and more—all in the hope of paying it forward for anyone who has struggled with the depths of depression in their own life.

Despite the toll the past few years have taken on him, Fetterman’s passion for making change remains. Raw and visceral, this memoir is an unapologetic account of his unconventional life, a reminder that public service comes in many forms, and a vision for fighting the battles that matter in a divided country.

Author Biography

John Fetterman, a Pennsylvania native, has dedicated his life to fighting for his state’s forgotten communities. As mayor of Braddock, Pennsylvania, for thirteen years, he worked to rebuild his community, creating jobs, stopping gun violence, engaging youth, and bringing creative urban policy solutions to Braddock. In 2018, Fetterman was elected as Pennsylvania’s lieutenant governor and transformed the position into a bully pulpit, advocating for marijuana legalization, economic justice, equal protection for the LGBTQ+ community, and criminal justice reform. He was elected the junior senator from Pennsylvania in November 2022 and was sworn in on January 3, 2023. He and his wife, Gisele, live with their children, Karl, Gracie, and August, in a restored car dealership in Braddock.