Former U.S. Sen. Kay Hagan made a rare public appearance this week.
Hagan helped break ground on a new air traffic control tower at Piedmont Triad International Airport.
During her time in Washington, she advocated for a new tower, according to Airport Executive Director Kevin Baker.
In 2016, Hagan was diagnosed with brain inflammation resulting from a tick-borne illness.
Her husband Chip says the condition has made it difficult for her to walk or speak, and she rarely makes public appearances as a result.
Hagan, a Democrat from Greensboro, defeated former Sen. Elizabeth Dole in 2008, but lost her re-election bid to Republican Thom Tillis in 2014.
Correction: An earlier version of this story read that Hagan lost her re-election bid to Tillis in 2016. This article has been corrected to show that it was in 2014.