US Senator John McCain passes away

John McCain's office said he died at his home in Arizona at 4:28 p.m. on August 25 (6:28 a.m. on August 26 Vietnam time), according toAFPHis wife, Cindy, and other family members were by McCain's side at his final moments.

"My heart is broken. I am so blessed to have been on this journey of loving this wonderful man for 38 years," Cindy wrote on Twitter.

Many leaders have expressed their condolences over McCain's passing. "My deepest sympathies and respect go out to the family of Senator John McCain," US President Trump wrote on Twitter.

"Some people's lives are so rich that it's hard to imagine them gone. Some voices are so powerful that it's hard to imagine them ending. John McCain was a man of deep conviction and a patriot. He served his country with all his heart and for me, he was a friend who I will miss," said former President George W. Bush.

The senator was diagnosed with brain cancer in July 2017 and has beenradiation and chemotherapy. On August 24, he decided to stop treatment due to age and disease progression.In his memoir published in May, McCain wrote that he hated leaving the world, but had "no complaints."

"It's been quite a journey. I've known great passions, seen miracles, fought a war, and helped make peace," McCain wrote. "I've lived a good life and been stripped of all comfort. I've been as lonely as anyone can be and stood side by side with heroes. I've hit rock bottom and I've also tasted the heights of joy."

"I have made a small place for myself in the American story and in the history of my time."

McCain represented Arizona in the Senate and House of Representatives for 35 years. He served as a Navy pilot in Vietnam. During a bombing raid on October 26, 1967, McCain's plane was shot down over Hanoi and he became a prisoner of war. McCain and many other American prisoners were released on March 14, 1973.

He later became one of the leading voices advocating for the normalization of Vietnam-US relations and promoting bilateral relations. The senator ran for US president twice in 2000 and 2008.

Milestones in John McCain's life

August 29, 1936: Born into a family with a military tradition

October 26, 1967: His plane is shot down over Hanoi while fighting in Vietnam. McCain becomes a prisoner of war until his release in 1973.

November 2, 1982: Enters politics, becomes a congressman and then a senator from Arizona.

September 4, 2008: Became the Republican candidate in the race to the White House with Obama. Failed in the election.

July 14, 2017: Diagnosed with brain cancer.

August 25, 2018: Passed away at the age of 81