Leonard Peltier has triple-bypass surgery

Leonard Peltier during a 1999 interview.

The following edited email was sent by the International Leonard Peltier Defense Committee on Sept. 2.

Good morning friends and family,

I just talked to Leonard, and unknown to us, he was just released from the hospital and this is his message to all his supporters and friends.

“Good morning, everyone. OK. I know everyone did not know this, but it’s been a rough ride for me, BUT I’m one step back from passing away.

“I was taken to an outside hospital in Leesburg, Fla., for what I was told was a routine heart stress test. And it turned out that they found clogged arteries, three of them! They decided to operate right away, and I just returned from triple-bypass heart surgery. My chest was opened and they took arteries from my legs and placed them in the blocked arteries. I had to be given a liter of blood. Now I am back at the prison and getting around in my wheelchair. They said this would help my shortness of breath and the pressure in my chest.”

[Leonard] was still a little short of breath, but said he is looking forward to seeing his grandson next weekend, and I will be visiting him the following weekend, as well as speaking at an event in Gainesville on Sept. 15.

I will keep you all updated as he will be able to call and give us reports on his progress of recovery.

This incident in Leonard’s health struggle has shown us how quickly things can happen and how important it is that we do everything possible to get Leonard out of prison and home to Turtle Mountain. Please continue to fund his legal struggle as it will take our lawyer and all of us to make this happen! Donate at whoisleonardpeltier.info.

Send Leonard a card at
Leonard ­Peltier
89637-132, USP Coleman 1,
P.O. Box 1033, Coleman, FL 33521.

Thank you for all your support,

Paulette