Former United States Sen. Jon Kyl (R-AZ) is dead at 84 after facing dementia.

“We know that Jon belonged to all of Arizona, a state he loved and explored with vigor, curiosity and wonder. Serving his state and nation in Congress was a privilege and responsibility he honored and respected,” Kyl’s family said in a statement, according to KTAR News on Thursday. 

“We are grateful for his full and meaningful public life. We are grateful, too, for his full and meaningful family life, guided by his faith and endowed with honor, warmth and love. We cherish his presence in our lives and are thankful he has joined his beloved Creator, Jesus Christ,” the family continued.

Late last year, he said he would be exiting “public life” after the diagnosis.

"I was blessed to represent the people of Arizona in Congress and to have numerous other opportunities to contribute to the political and civic life of our nation and state," he stated at the time, according to NBC News. 

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“However, the time has come for me to withdraw from public life. I have been diagnosed with a neurological disease manifesting as dementia,” the former senator added. 

Kyl served in the House from 1987 until 1995, then he was in the Senate until 2013. The Republican was the Senate Minority Whip from 2007 to 2013.

The Republican returned to the Senate briefly in 2018 following the death of the late Sen. John McCain (R-AZ) after he was appointed to fill the role until the end of the year by Gov. Doug Ducey. Republican Martha McSally then filled the rest of McCain’s term.

“Jon Kyl gave Arizona nearly three decades of principled, thoughtful leadership — and he gave me something just as valuable: his mentorship and friendship. I'll miss him deeply. Rest in peace, Senator Kyl,” Ducey (R-AZ) posted to X on Thursday morning. 

"Devastating news.  Senator Kyl was, in the truest sense of the word, a statesman," Maricopa County Attorney Rachel Mitchell posted. "In addition to his many, many accomplishments, some do not know the efforts he extended to help children and other victims of sex crimes by championing evidence rule changes which continue to have an incredibly positive impact.  My prayers go out to his family."