Fox News Anchor Absent From Airwaves After Son’s Medical Crisis

Fox News host Bret Baier was absent from his show last week to be by his son’s side while the teen underwent emergency open-heart surgery.

In a pair of posts on the social media platform X, Baier explained he was away from “Special Report” because the life of his 16-year-old, Paul, was in danger.

The teen underwent his fifth open-heart surgery, leaving his parents grateful to the doctors who saved him from what could have been certain death.

Baier, the political anchor for Fox as well as the anchor of the nightly “Special Report with Bret Baier,” shared a clip of the show with fill-in host Mike Emanuel at Baier’s desk, updating viewers on Paul’s progress.

Emanuel shared that the 16-year-old was up and walking after a procedure at Children’s National Hospital in Washington.

Baier stated that he and his wife Amy were thankful to the hospital’s staff for “once again saving our son Paul’s life.”

He also commented, “This one was unexpected and considered an emergency. He is doing remarkably well and we are so incredibly grateful to the doctors and nurses at Children’s National. Thank you for your prayers – I will be back on Monday.”

Tonight, @AmyBaier1 and I want to thank the staff @ChildrensNatl for once again saving our son Paul’s life. You may have noticed I have been absent from #SpecialReport for the last few days– our 16 year old son had to undergo his 5th open heart surgery yesterday. This one was… pic.twitter.com/jKds5sngeO

— Bret Baier (@BretBaier) April 26, 2024

Baier posted again on Monday with an update on Paul’s condition and some background about the young man’s lifelong health struggles.

Baier wrote that he was grateful for prayers and wrote, “Thanks to the amazing doctors and nurses at the hospital – Paul’s prognosis is great.”

On the left -Paul the day he went home from @ChildrensNatl after his first open heart surgery 16 years 10 months ago. On the right -Paul going home today after his 5th open heart surgery at Children’s. Thanks to the amazing doctors and nurses at the hospital- Paul’s prognosis is… pic.twitter.com/MVJFA0cG8W

— Bret Baier (@BretBaier) April 29, 2024

Bret, Amy and Paul Baier all spoke to People magazine on Tuesday about the surgery.

Thanks @people for this piece on Paul. https://t.co/W0NqFQeaf9

— Bret Baier (@BretBaier) May 1, 2024

After the teen caught a cold last week, his mother took him to a doctor out of an abundance of caution due to his history of heart issues and procedures.

Paul’s father said, “The MRI comes back, and they sit me down and say, ‘This is a really big deal. This is an aneurysm the size of a golf ball that has formed off of his heart.’”

The Fox News host added, “And they didn’t know whether it might burst, but if it did, it might have been fatal in a matter of minutes.”

The network star said he was the one who informed his son he would need to immediately go back for heart surgery but that Paul took the news “in stride.”

“He’s always been that warrior, but this was a big one to absorb,” the proud father told People.

Paul Baier, who was born with five congenital heart defects, told the outlet, “I’m so grateful to have the community I have, and to have my life. A lot can change in a matter of five hours.”