Bret Baier’s Family Opens Up On Recent Health Scare: ‘We Got Lucky’

Fox News anchor Bret Baier’s son, Paul, 16, recently underwent his fifth open-heart surgery.

The events leading to Paul’s emergency surgery began quietly. While residing in Palm Beach, Florida, a frequent home for the Baier family aside from their Washington, D.C. base, Paul contracted what seemed to be a typical cold. Amy Baier, concerned for her son who has a history of heart complications, sought medical advice as a precaution.

Initially diagnosed with rhinovirus by their physician, a routine suspicion for someone displaying cold symptoms, Paul was advised to have a chest X-ray due to his extensive medical history. Born with five congenital heart defects, Paul’s life has been marked by a series of medical challenges, requiring more than a dozen surgeries, including his initial open-heart surgery as a newborn followed by additional procedures at 10 months, six years, and 13 years of age.

In a heartfelt expression of gratitude shared with PEOPLE, Paul reflected on his journey, stating, “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.”

Bret Baier’s son Paul via PEOPLE

Brett’s wife, Amy, explained, “Dr. Stein, was very thorough and before we left, she said, ‘Let’s do a chest X-ray, just to be sure everything’s okay.'” The X-ray revealed what appeared to be tissue on Paul’s lungs, prompting Dr. Stein to forward the images to his cardiologist in D.C. Several days later, the cardiologist advised Paul to get an MRI. Returning to Washington, Paul and his father anticipated a standard check-up. However, the results were startling.

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“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,'” Bret shared. Bret, who hosts Special Report on Fox News and is the network’s chief political anchor, added that there was uncertainty about the aneurysm’s stability, but its rupture could be immediately life-threatening. The medical team urgently suggested that Paul undergo open-heart surgery the following day.

 

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In his interview with PEOPLE, Bret recounted the moment he told Paul about the medical situation. “He thought I was joking at first, then he absorbed it and said, ‘Okay, let’s do what we need to do,'” he said. “He’s always been that warrior, but this was a big one to absorb.”

“As he rolled away on the gurney, it was pretty tough. Very emotional,” Bret shared. The wait during the surgery was nearly unbearable, lasting about 10 hours. Fortunately, the surgery to remove the aneurysm was successful, and doctors are optimistic that it will be Paul’s final open-heart operation. Just five days later, Paul was ready to leave the hospital. Bret captured a poignant moment, taking one last photo of his son at Children’s National Hospital before they headed home.

 

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Paul, speaking to PEOPLE, shared that his recovery is progressing well, describing it as “going pretty smoothly. It’s important to be thankful for everything you have, every second of every day.”

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