Who was Sylvester Turner? Texas Democrat last seen attending Trump’s Congressional address passes away

Texas Rep. Sylvester Turner, who once served as the mayor of Houston, died at the age of 70, just two months after he joined Congress.

He was last seen in public at President Donald Trump’s address to Congress, before he was taken to the hospital on Tuesday night. He was later pronounced dead. Current Houston Mayor John Whitmire announced his demise at the commencement of a city council meeting on Wednesday, March 5.

Just last year, after the demise of Sheila Jackson Lee, Turner announced that he would be running for her congressional seat, effectively ending his retirement. By November 2024, he was elected and assumed office in January 2025. He served on the Homeland Security committee, and the Science, Space, & Technology committees.

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The life and legacy of Sylvester Turner explored:

Whitmire said, as he asked for the flags to be lowered to half-staff:

“This comes as a shock to everyone. I would ask Houstonians to come together, pray for his family, join us in celebrating this remarkable public servant. Celebrate his life, which we will be doing.”

He went on, reflecting on their kin:

“No one really knows how close Sylvester and I were,” he continued. “We’ve been together in good times and bad times. He asked me to speak at his mother’s funeral. I was there when [his daughter] Ashley was born, he was there when [my children] Whitney and Sarah were born.”

According to Whitmire, Sylvester Turner was a "remarkable public servant who impacted millions of people." He "rose from poverty but never forgot where he came from," adding that his death is a "terrible loss for the city and a personal loss for me."

At the time of writing, Turner's cause of death remains unclear, though a statement from his congressional office reveals that he died "peacefully," as reported by CNN.

“Throughout his career, he was known for his bipartisan leadership, dedication to his constituents, and unwavering commitment to improving the lives of all Houstonians,” the office said.

People Magazine has reported that he was diagnosed with bone cancer in 2022, and was forced to undergo surgery and radiation treatment. However, later that year, he revealed that he was “cancer free” in an interview with the Texas Tribune.

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Sylvester Turner leaves behind his daughter, Ashley Page Turner, and a grandson.