Vivek Murthy’s Mom Worried When He Got Into Politics

Photo: Reuters /Amanda Andrade-Rhoades

India-West News Desk

LOS ANGELES, CA — The gold and silver trophies in the China cabinet of Dr. Vivek Murthy’s childhood home highlight the surgeon general’s diverse talents, ranging from dance performances to math competitions. According to the Associated Press, Murthy’s family, growing up in a Florida suburb, believed he could excel at nearly anything.

However, when a middle school world history teacher suggested Murthy might make a good secretary of state, his mom became concerned. “She got really worried,” Murthy told AP, “She called my dad and said, ‘You need to come home and talk to him because he’s thinking about going into politics.’”

Now, in his second term as the “Nation’s Doctor,” Murthy hasn’t shied away from politics as his mother once hoped. Instead, he’s embraced it, the AP pointed out. He has taken on powerful tech companies, accusing their addictive algorithms and dangerous content of harming the mental health of children. Murthy has urged Congress to approve a warning label for social media platforms like Instagram and TikTok. In June, he released a politically charged report, declaring gun deaths and injuries a public health crisis.

When he was first appointed to the role a decade ago, Murthy didn’t anticipate focusing on mental health. However, during the COVID-19 pandemic, loneliness surged as people spent only about 20 minutes daily with friends, a historic low. Murthy noted in 2023 that loneliness can increase the risk of premature death by roughly 30%.

AP reported that Murthy traces his interest in combating loneliness back to his Miami suburb roots, where he recently retreated with his wife Alice Chen, and their two young children to spend a few summer days under the palm trees of his childhood home, alongside his parents, sister, and grandmother.

In this environment, Murthy learned about the power of relationships, first by observing his parents, immigrants from India, build a community in a new city, and later by assisting his parents in visiting patients’ homes for his dad’s medical practice. “Whenever they had a patient in need, or a friend who lost a job or a loved one, they would be there on the phone or in person, bringing food or just sitting by the bedside and holding their hand,” Murthy told AP about his parents, Myetraie and Hallegere.

As his term ends in March, Murthy is uncertain about his next steps but expressed a desire to continue addressing mental health and loneliness.