Democratic Rep. Dan Kildee says the Capitol riot left him with post-traumatic stress
- Rep. Dan Kildee said the January 6 Capitol riot left him with post-traumatic stress.
- He said he sought help after experiencing symptoms when watching footage of the event.
- Trump supporters stormed the Capitol, forcing lawmakers to evacuate. Five people died.
Democratic Rep. Dan Kildee has said that the January 6 insurrection at the US Capitol left him with post-traumatic stress.
In an "NBC Nightly News" interview broadcast Sunday, Kildee said that when he first went home after the riot "thought it was fine," but later found that watching footage of the event "triggered an emotional and physical reaction."
Speaking beside his therapist, Kildee said he looked for help after experiencing trouble breathing and became "really irritable."
Watch him speak here:
A mob of Trump supporters stormed the Capitol on January 6, forcing lawmakers to evacuate while voting to confirm President Joe Biden's election victory. Five people, including a Capitol Police officer, died.
Kildee, a Democrat for Michigan's 5th congressional district, said he was speaking out to try to help others.
"Most people who experience trauma don't experience it in real time, on every network across the world," he said.
"They do it quietly, privately, painfully, silently, alone. And so if I can speak to them, that's what I want to do."