Sen. Eric Schmitt: Unconditional Love of a Father for His Son

U.S. Senator Eric Schmitt has publicly shared the story of his son Stephen (sometimes written Steven), born in 2004, who was diagnosed in his early months of life with tuberous sclerosis, a rare genetic condition that causes benign tumors to form in different organs such as the brain, heart, and kidneys. This disease has severely affected his development.

In addition, Stephen suffers from intractable epilepsy with daily seizures, which has required hospitalizations for prolonged convulsions since childhood, and he has also been diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder. He is nonverbal and requires constant care.

In interviews and articles from outlets such as Washington Examiner, St. Louis Public Radio, Kansas City Star, and St. Louis Magazine, it has been confirmed that Stephen faces multiple medical challenges and that his condition has profoundly shaped his father’s life, even prompting Schmitt to support legislation related to alternative treatments such as hemp oil for epilepsy.

Recently, in an interview with Tucker Carlson, Schmitt said:

“My son Steven was born in 2004 and was diagnosed with a rare genetic condition called tuberous sclerosis, in which tumors form in different organs, including his brain, which has affected his development. He has epileptic seizures almost every day. He does not speak.

Steven will turn 21 in a few days. People have asked me: what do you think heaven is like? For me, heaven is that second or two in which I feel that intense, pure, unconditional love for my son, multiplied for eternity. That must be what it is.

Where everything else doesn’t matter, it’s not important. And that is the closeness you have with God, your creator, forever. Steven has taught me many things, and he was my inspiration to get into all of this, and he still is.”

The senator’s testimony reflects both the deeply personal and family dimension of his life as well as the influence that his son’s experience has had on his political career. Stephen’s story has been widely documented in the U.S. press and is supported by various reliable sources.