The daughter of Senator Dick Durbin, Senate Majority Whip, has died today at the too-young age of 40 "from complications relating to a congenital heart condition":
She had been hospitalized for several weeks, Durbin spokesman Joe Shoemaker said.
Sen. Durbin was with his wife, Loretta Durbin, and family in the Washington, D.C., area on Saturday.
"Most of the family was at her bedside when she passed away," Shoemaker said.
Christine Durbin worked for 16 years for the U.S. Department of Agriculture in the emerging markets division. She lived with her husband and son in a suburb of Washington.
She "fought a heroic lifelong battle with heart disease," Shoemaker said. "Our thoughts and prayers are with the entire Durbin family."
He said Sen. Durbin would not be making a further public statement.
Christine Durbin is survived by her parents, husband Marty Johnson, son Alex, brother Paul and sister Jennifer.
Our deepest sympathies go out to the Senator from Illinois and his entire family.