Bret Baier. Roy Rochlin/Getty Images
Fox News host Bret Baier is counting his blessings as his 16-year-old son, Paul, recovers from open heart surgery.
Paul underwent the procedure on Thursday, April 25, days after he went to the doctor for what seemed like a common cold. Due to Paul’s history with heart problems — he was born with five congenital heart defects — his doctors suggested he get a chest x-ray and an MRI to rule out something more serious.
“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 told People on Wednesday, May 1. “And they didn’t know whether it might burst, but if it did, it might have been fatal in a matter of minutes.”
Bret shared that he was the one to break the news to his son.
“He thought I was joking at first, then he absorbed it and said, ‘OK, let’s do what we need to do,’” he said. “He’s always been that warrior, but this was a big one to absorb.”
Bret, who shares Paul and 13-year-old son Daniel with wife Amy Baier, said it was “very emotional” sending Paul into the operating room.
“As he rolled away on the gurney, it was pretty tough,” he recalled. “Then we had a waiting game for about 10 hours, which was excruciating.”
Paul’s aneurysm was successfully removed, and doctors believe the open heart procedure will be the last one the teenager needs. Paul, who has undergone several surgeries over the years, noted that his recovery is “going pretty smoothly” and emphasized the importance of being “thankful for everything you have, every second of every day.”
His mom, Amy, noted that Paul’s positive outlook has inspired the entire Baier clan.
“We have a saying in the Baier family that ‘gratitude is the attitude,’” she said. “We learned that from Paul. Because it’s much easier when you focus on all the things you’re grateful for, rather than what is difficult.”
Bret embodied that philosophy by highlighting how far Paul has come since his first procedure in a recent Instagram post. He took to the social media platform on Monday, April 29, to share side by side photos of Paul as a newborn and teenaged Paul smiling in the hospital with his parents.
“On the left — Paul the day he went home from @childrensnational 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,” Bret captioned the post. “Thanks to the amazing doctors and nurses at the hospital — Paul’s prognosis is great. Thank you all for the prayers 🙏 & support #grateful.”
