U.S. Rep. Steve Buyer tearfully said this morning that his wife Joni has been diagnosed with what doctors say is an incurable auto-immune disease, forcing his retirement from Congress.
Buyer, with is wife at his side, took no questions, and did not specifically identify the disease which he said had also claimed the life of her sister. Neither he nor friends immediately identified the disease.
Buyer said he will retire from the U.S. Army Reserves as colonel on Aug. 1, and will not seek re-election to a 10th term in Congress this year.
Frequently choking up, Buyer said that in November his wife was initially diagnosed with an auto-immune disease , and that that was reconfirmed on Jan. 19 at Clarian Health Centers here. While physicians say it is incurable, Buyer said he could not accept that.
http://www.indystar.com/article/20100129/NEWS05/100129016/Buyer-expected-to-announce-retirement