University of Florida president Ben Sasse is resigning after his wife was diagnosed with epilepsy

University of Florida president Ben Sasse announced late Thursday that he will leave his position of nearly two years to focus on taking care of his family after his wife was diagnosed with epilepsy.

University of Florida president Ben Sasse announced late Thursday that he will leave his position of nearly two years to focus on taking care of his family after his wife was diagnosed with epilepsy. In a post on the social platform X, the former US senator from Nebraska said that “after extensive prayer and lots of family tears,” he asked university officials that day to start looking for a new president. In a statement, the university said his resignation is effective July 31. “I need to step back for a time and focus more on the needs of my family while we rebuild more stable household systems,” Sasse said, adding that he would continue to teach at the university. Sasse’s wife, Melissa, who had an aneurysm and a series of strokes in 2007, was recently diagnosed with epilepsy and has been having “a new batch of memory issues,” he said. “We’ve battled some nasty seizures the last couple years, but she’s always remained a warrior,” he said. The couple has two daughters in college, and their youngest child is turning 13, he said.