Fox’s Bret Baier Reveals His Family’s ‘Lowest of Lows’ During Touching Tribute

OPINION: This article may contain commentary which reflects the author’s opinion.

Fox News anchor Bret Baier delivered an emotional acceptance speech upon winning a significant award last week, during which he shared insights into the “highest of highs” and the “lowest of lows” that his family has encountered throughout his career.

The chief political anchor for the network recounted the good and bad times as he was inducted into the Horatio Alger Association of Distinguished Americans, which honors various business, civic, and cultural leaders.

As part of the celebration, a video was shown highlighting Baier’s upbringing and early professional journey before assuming the role of anchor on Fox’s primary news program.

Baier also reflected on personal challenges, such as navigating through difficult times with his family, notably when his oldest son Paul was diagnosed with congenital heart defects at birth, as reported by Mediaite.

“My success is really a blessing, but we went from the highest of highs to the lowest of lows. When my son Paul was born, it was our first child and the cardiologist came and talked to us and said that he had five serious congenital heart defects,” Baier said.

“And if he didn’t have open heart surgery in the next few days, he would die. And that moment changes your life. The small bickering up on Capitol Hill that you cover day to day goes away because there are much bigger things that people have to deal with,” he added.

“Everybody has something. This was our something. And getting through that, over that open heart surgery and three others, ten angioplasties — it was a big, big challenge. Today his heart is pumping just like anybody else’s, so we’re really blessed,” Baier said.

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Congrats @BretBaier for being inducted into the prestigious Horatio Alger Association of Distinguished Americans.
Horatio Alger Jr. was an American author who wrote young adult novels about impoverished boys and their rise from humble backgrounds to middle-class security and… pic.twitter.com/T8lvBlN0en
— USA Features Media (@UsaFeatures) April 8, 2024

In September 2023, Fox announced a major contract extension with Baier. The last renewal was in 2021 for a five-year term that would have kept him at the cable network until at least 2025.

“We are thrilled to have Bret continue leading our political coverage as we head into the 2024 election season and beyond,” said Jay Wallace, president and executive editor of Fox News Channel. The contract was renewed earlier than expected, indicating confidence in Baier’s work. UTA handles Baier’s representation.

Wallace added in a statement: “We are thrilled to have Bret continue leading our political coverage as we head into the 2024 election season and beyond.”

Baier added, “I am honored to continue anchoring Special Report and alongside my dedicated team and co-anchoring our election coverage for many years to come.”

“Baier has conducted numerous interviews with world leaders, sitting presidents, politicians, and celebrities throughout his 27-year tenure with FNC, including: former President Trump, then-President Barack Obama, then-President George W. Bush, former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, the Dalai Lama, actor Matthew McConaughey and many others. In the current 2024 election cycle he has interviewed Democratic candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr as well as Republican candidates, including Trump, Florida Governor Ron DeSantis, former Vice President Mike Pence, Vivek Ramaswamy, Sen. Tim Scott (R-SC), former UN Ambassador Nikki Haley, former New Jersey Governor Chris Christie and former Arkansas Governor Asa Hutchinson,” Fox News announced in a press release.

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“He has also moderated two iterations of The Senate Project series on FOX Nation, a bipartisan forum at the Edward M. Kennedy Institute which featured Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-SC) and Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-VT) in 2022 and Sen. Joni Ernst (R-IA) and Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH) in 2023,” the release noted further.

It continued: “Baier is the author of five New York Times bestsellers and will be releasing his latest book “To Rescue the Constitution: George Washington and the Fragile American Experiment” in October. He was FNC’s chief White House correspondent, covering President Bush from 2006-2009 and served as national security correspondent from 2001-2006. On September 11th, he traveled from Atlanta, where he was based as a correspondent for FNC, to cover the terrorist attacks from the Pentagon which then led to his extensive career in Washington.”

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