Sen. Chris Murphy’s stroke highlights the warning signs remembered by BE FAST
By Emma Carter
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Intro
Sen. Chris Murphy’s recent stroke has drawn attention to the warning signs that people should know. Health experts use the acronym BE FAST to help people remember them.
Vocabulary
| Word | Part of speech | Meaning | Example |
|---|---|---|---|
| acronym noun | noun | Meaning: a short name made from the first letters of other words | Example: BE FAST is an acronym for important stroke warning signs. |
| symptoms noun | noun | Meaning: signs that show someone may have an illness | Example: The doctor asked about her symptoms. |
| droops verb | verb | Meaning: hangs lower than normal, especially because of weakness | Example: His left eyelid droops when he is tired. |
| numbness noun | noun | Meaning: a feeling in which part of the body cannot feel normally | Example: She felt numbness in her fingers after the injury. |
| lasting adjective | adjective | Meaning: continuing for a long time | Example: The treatment helped prevent lasting damage. |
The story
Sen. Chris Murphy suffered a stroke on Saturday and is expected to recover, according to his office. The 53-year-old Democrat from Connecticut spoke to reporters in Washington in March 2026. His experience has drawn attention to the importance of recognizing stroke warning signs.
The American Stroke Association recommends remembering the acronym BE FAST. The letters describe several symptoms that may happen during a stroke. B stands for balance. Sudden trouble walking, dizziness or a loss of balance can be warning signs.
E stands for eyes. Blurred or double vision, or a sudden loss of sight in one eye, may also be symptoms. F means face. Ask the person to smile. If one side of the face droops or the smile looks uneven, a stroke may be occurring.
A stands for arms. One arm may feel numb or weak, or it may drift down when the person raises both arms. Murphy felt numbness in his arm while he was at his son’s hockey game, according to a statement from his staff.
S stands for speech. A person may have trouble talking, speak unclearly or be unable to repeat a simple sentence. T stands for time: getting medical help quickly is important. Anyone experiencing these symptoms, or seeing them in another person, should call 911 as soon as possible. Fast treatment can improve the chance of survival and help limit lasting effects.
Warm-up questions
- What signs might show that someone needs emergency medical help?
- Have you used a short phrase or acronym to remember important information?
Comprehension questions
- What happened to Sen. Chris Murphy?
- Where did Murphy speak to reporters?
- What does the letter B in BE FAST represent?
- What should someone do if stroke symptoms appear?
- How can fast treatment help?
Opinion questions
- Which BE FAST sign do you think would be easiest to remember? Why?
- Why is it useful for ordinary people to learn basic emergency warning signs?
Further discussion
- How could schools or workplaces teach people to remember BE FAST?
- What other health information should people learn before an emergency happens?
Writing prompt
- Write a short paragraph explaining why recognizing stroke symptoms quickly matters. Use two details from the article.
