Former Atlanta Mayor and U.N. Ambassador Andrew Young arrived at Emory University Hospital Wednesday afternoon for treatment, three days after falling ill in Nashville during a speaking trip.
“He had a minor infection and ran a fever,” said Young’s daughter, Andrea Young. “He is recovering well.”
Andrea Young, the executive director of the American Civil Liberties Union of Georgia, said her father was scheduled to deliver the keynote for the Fisk University baccalaureate service on Sunday when he became sick.
He did not speak at the Fisk event.
“He is so generous with his time and Fisk is an American Missionary Association school that has such an iconic role in the civil rights movement,” Andrea Young said. “He pushed himself harder than he should have.”
The 86-year-old civil rights legend and politician spent three days at the Vanderbilt University Medical Center. Andrea Young said her father would be consulting with his personal physicians at Emory.
He flew to Nashville on Saturday for the Sunday speech. He sent the organizers of the event a text on Sunday morning that he would be unable to speak and was quickly taken to the hospital.
“We know the city loves him, but we are asking for no visitors,” Andrea Young said. “He always wants to respond to people. But the best thing they can do for him is pray. But we have no doubt that he will make a full recovery.”
Young was the U.S. ambassador to the United Nations from 1977 until 1979 and the mayor of Atlanta from 1982 until 1990.
Follow myajc.com for updates. Political columnist Jim Galloway contributed to this article.
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