Former Running Mate Sarah Palin & John McCain's Friends React to Decision to Stop Cancer Care

'May comfort and peace envelope them," John McCain's former running mate wrote on Instagram

From left: Sen. John McCain and Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin during the 2008 presidential campaign. Photo: Kiichiro Sato/AP

On Friday, Republican Senator John McCain‘s family announced that he has decided to stop treatment for brain cancer —and the wave of support and love from other politicians and friends was instantaneous.

“Prayers for Sen. McCain and his family at this most trying time,” wrote Sarah Palin on Instagram. She was McCain’s choice for vice president in his 2008 presidential campaign. “May comfort and peace envelope them. May my friend sense appreciation for his inspiration to serve something greater than self,” Palin wrote.

In a statement released on Twitter, the McCain family explained that the 81-year-old politician — who was diagnosed with glioblastoma, an aggressive brain cancer with a median survival rate of just 15 months, in July 2017 — made the decision.

“Last summer, Senator John McCain shared with Americans the news our family already knew: he had been diagnosed with an aggressive glioblastoma, and the prognosis was serious,” the statement said. “In the year since, John has surpassed expectations for his survival. But the progress of disease and the inexorable advance of age render their verdict. With his usual strength of will, he has now chosen to discontinue medical treatment.”

“Our family is immensely grateful for the support and kindness of all his caregivers over the last year, and for the continuing outpouring of concern and affection from John’s many friends and associated, and the many thousands of people who are keeping him in their prayers,” the statement continued. “God bless and thank you all.”

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Wrote wife Cindy McCain, 64, on Twitter: “I love my husband with all of my heart. God bless everyone who has cared for my husband along this journey.”

Sen. Marco Rubio also took to Twitter to send his well wishes.

“John McCain is going to finish the race the way he has done everything in his life, his way and on his terms,” wrote Sen. Marco Rubio on Twitter. “May God bless him & his family as he completes the final leg of his inspiring and heroic journey.”

Wrote Mitt Romney on Twitter: “No man this century better exemplifies honor, patriotism, service, sacrifice, and country first than Senator John McCain. His heroism inspires, his life shapes our character. I am blessed and humbled by our friendship.”

Rep. Joe Kennedy III had his own words for the long-time politician.

“Senator John McCain is a warrior in every sense of the word,” he wrote. “To an inspiring man and a loving family, our thoughts are with you.”

“I am able to celebrate a wonderful life,” ⁦@SenJohnMcCain⁩ told me almost a year ago,” wrote CNN anchor Jake Tapper.

By early Friday afternoon, President Trump had not joined the well wishers.

John McCain’s Family Outraged After White House Official Mocks Senator: ‘He’s Dying Anyway’

An avid Twitter user, President Trump has yet to join his fellow politicians in wishing Sen. McCain well. Not only has the president snubbed the senator publicly, just three weeks after his diagnosis was announced a White House official mocked him (“It doesn’t matter, he’s dying anyway,” special assistant Kelly Sadler reportedly said).

And John McCain made it known that, when he dies, he does not want the president at his funeral.

Earlier this year, the republican senator revealed that his brain cancer diagnosis served as “ungentle persuasion” to recognize his current term in the Senate will be his last.

And in his book The Restless Wave, which published in May 2018, he wrote that not having to run for re-election provides him with the freedom to “vote my conscience without worry.”

“I’m freer than colleagues who will face the voters again. I can speak my mind without fearing the consequences much. And I can vote my conscience without worry,” McCain said. “I don’t think I’m free to disregard my constituents’ wishes, far from it. I don’t feel excused from keeping pledges I made. Nor do I wish to harm my party’s prospects. But I do feel a pressing responsibility to give Americans my best judgment.”