Tommy Hazouri is back in the saddle as City Council president after stepping away for lung transplant surgery in late July.
WJCT News partner The Florida Times-Union reports the longtime figure in Jacksonville politics said Wednesday he views the transplant as motivation for making the most of his time as council president, particularly his push to tackle long-standing racial disparities in the city.
"To have a new lung is a gift from heaven and I've really been blessed," Hazouri said. "I was given the lung for a reason and it's given me a new lease on life. I don't know how long I would have been here if I didn't have that lung replaced."
A memo sent Tuesday to City Council members announced Hazouri was resuming his duties as council president.
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