Texas Representative Sylvester Turner, the former Houston mayor, has died suddenly at 70 years old, just two months after joining Congress.
Current Houston Mayor John Whitmire announced Turner’s passing during a city council meeting on Wednesday, March 5. According to Whitmire, Turner was rushed to the hospital late Tuesday night, shortly after attending Trump’s address to Congress. He was later pronounced dead.
“This comes as a shock to everyone,” Whitmire said, adding that flags across Houston would be lowered to half-staff in his honor. “I would ask Houstonians to come together, pray for his family, and join us in celebrating this remarkable public servant.”
Turner, who served as Houston’s mayor from 2016 to 2024, was known for leading the city through major crises, including Hurricane Harvey and the COVID-19 pandemic. In November 2024, he was elected to represent Texas’ 18th congressional district, filling the seat left vacant after the passing of longtime Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee, who died of pancreatic cancer.
Turner’s cause of death has not yet been determined. He was previously diagnosed with bone cancer in 2022 and underwent surgery and radiation treatment.
A lifelong Houston resident, Turner attended the University of Houston before earning his law degree from Harvard Law School. He is survived by his daughter, Ashley Page Turner, and his grandson.
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