Alex Okrent, Obama Campaign Worker, Dies At Headquarters

Alex Okrent, a 29-year-old who was working on President Obama’s campaign in Chicago, collapsed on Friday in the Prudential Building.

Emergency workers gave Okrent on-site treatment and rushed him to Northwestern Memorial Hospital where he was pronounced dead.

The Huffington Post reports that Okrent worked on Obama’s campaign when he was running for senate in 2004 and when he was running for President in 2008.

Okrent was part of the media department during the 2012 campaign.

The White House said that President Obama was in Virginia at the time of Okrent’s death. The president called Okrent’s family to express his condolences.

The White House writes:

“A staffer in President Obama’s campaign office collapsed in the Chicago headquarters and died Friday, campaign officials said. Alex Okrent, 29, had worked with the Obama team since 2004. Traveling in Virginia on Friday, Obama called Okrent’s family to express condolences. The president later spoke with other campaign staffers in a conference call.”

The president also took to Twitter to address the news.

The president writes:

A beloved member of our campaign family, Alex Okrent, passed away today. Our prayers are with his loved ones. We will miss you, Alex. -bo

— Barack Obama (@BarackObama) July 14, 2012

The president’s political foe, Mitt Romney, also took to Twitter to send the Obama team a message.

Ann & I were deeply saddened to learn of the death of Alex Okrent. Prayers are with Alex’s loved ones and the entire Obama campaign team.

— Mitt Romney (@MittRomney) July 13, 2012