Serna said in a social media post over the weekend that he experienced a transient ischemic attack. He did not attend last Tuesday\u2019s Board of Supervisors meeting.<\/p>\n
TIA is a short-term blockage of blood flow to the brain that typically does not cause permanent damage, according to the Mayo Clinic. A TIA, often called a \u201cministroke,\u201d usually lasts only a few minutes but can signal a future stroke<\/a>. About one in three people who experience a TIA will later have a stroke, with nearly half occurring within a year, the Mayo Clinic said.<\/p>\n The episode came with about eight months remaining in his tenure. Serna previously endorsed Guerra to replace him. Cofer, who narrowly lost the Sacramento mayor\u2019s race in 2024, announced her candidacy for the supervisor position in January.<\/p>\n Cofer and Guerra<\/a> will face off with other candidates in the June 2 primary election.<\/p>\n Serna wrote that he lost consciousness and collapsed in his kitchen April 5. He initially thought he was dizzy, but later noted confusion, blurred vision and weakness on his left side, especially his arm. When he tried to call for help, he had trouble speaking.<\/p>\n Those symptoms mirror common early signs of a stroke or TIA, which can include sudden weakness on one side of the body, slurred speech, vision problems and loss of balance, according to the Mayo Clinic.<\/p>\n Health officials often use the mnemonic \u201cBE FAST<\/a>\u201d: Balance loss, eye (vision) changes, face drooping, arm weakness and speech difficulty. The \u201cT\u201d stands for \u201ctime to call 911,\u201d which Serna did.<\/p>\n Emergency responders took Serna to Mercy General Hospital in East Sacramento where he was admitted, he said. He felt back to normal by the next morning and went home with new prescriptions aimed at preventing another episode.<\/p>\n Serna urged others to learn the signs of a stroke. The supervisor and his chief of staff did not immediately respond to requests for comment Monday.<\/p>\n Serna, first elected in 2010, has represented the county\u2019s 1st District for more than a decade and announced in October that he would not run for the fifth term<\/a>. He has served as board chair and played a visible role in shaping county policy on public health, regional transit and equity initiatives.<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019ve served for what will have been four terms and I think that\u2019s plenty for me,\u201d he told KVIE\u2019s Abridged in an interview announcing his decision<\/a>. \u201cAnd I\u2019m proud of the things I\u2019ve been able to accomplish.\u201d<\/p>\n He is the son of the late Joe Serna Jr., Sacramento\u2019s first Latino mayor, and has long framed his public service as rooted in that legacy. Serna has said civic engagement was part of daily life growing up and has emphasized expanding community voice in local government.<\/p>\n During his tenure, Serna highlighted work on efforts such as the Black Child Legacy Campaign, early childhood programs through First 5 Sacramento and regional transit governance. He has also pointed to initiatives focused on public safety, health access and reducing disparities.<\/p>\n His time in office has included criticism as well, including scrutiny over a 2023 vote approving a pay raise for supervisors<\/a> and disputes tied to development and his social media presence<\/a>.<\/p>\n Related Stories from Sacramento Bee<\/p>\n
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