While reading CNN's list of Senators who have continued to serve in office despite lengthy absences due to illness, I came across a name I had never heard of, but I wished I knew more: Clair Engle. As a California Democrat, he served in the US House for 16 years (1933-1959), and in the Senate for 5 (1959-1964).
In 1964, he suffered a brain tumor, that caused partial paralysis and loss of speech. On June 10, 1964, the Senate held a cloture vote, to end the southern fillibuster of the Civil Rights Act which had persisted for 83 days. Engle was carried into the chamber for the vote. Although he couldn't speak, when the clerk called his name, he managed to lift his arm and point to his eye, signifying he was voting "aye". (Gotta love a guy who is a punner till the end.) Nine days later, he voted again when the act was passed. He died 6 weeks later at the age of 52. Now it's not like this was the deciding vote (the act passed 73-27), and given that Pat Brown was governor of California at the time, there was no danger of his seat being given to a Republican, but what wonderous thing to have as one of your last acts on this Earth.
Does anyone know any more about him? I've surfed the web and this is about all I've found.