At just 16, Paul Baier — son of Fox News anchor Bret Baier — has faced more medical challenges than most do in a lifetime. Last year, the high school athlete underwent his fifth open-heart surgery, this time to remove a life-threatening, golf ball-sized aneurysm discovered during what was expected to be a routine check-up.
What started as a seemingly minor cold ended in a harrowing 10-hour emergency surgery. Thanks to his mother Amy’s intuition and insistence on further tests, doctors caught the issue in time. A chest X-ray revealed something unusual, and further imaging exposed the dangerous mass near his heart. “Just to be safe, we sent it to his cardiologist,” Amy said. That decision may have saved Paul’s life.
Back in Washington, D.C., for what the family thought would be a standard follow-up, they were told the aneurysm was close to rupturing. “If it burst, it could have been fatal in minutes,” Bret recalled. Despite the shocking news, Paul stayed calm. “All right, let’s do what we have to do,” he told his dad.
The night before surgery, the father-son duo shared a quiet round of golf — a moment of normalcy in an otherwise overwhelming time. Paul closed the game with a birdie, beating his dad and ending the day on a high note before heading into the operating room the next morning.
Surgeons at Children’s National Hospital in D.C. successfully completed the complex 10-hour procedure. Doctors are optimistic this will be Paul’s final open-heart surgery.
Bret later posted a touching side-by-side photo: one of Paul smiling in the hospital after surgery, and another of him as a baby recovering from his first operation.
Now back home, Paul is focused on recovery. For six weeks, he’ll stick to a strict routine of rest, healthy meals, and daily walks before returning to the tennis court or golf course.
His story has inspired many, both in and outside the Fox News world. Paul, born with five congenital heart defects, has undergone more than a dozen surgeries, but his resilience and attitude continue to motivate others. “Gratitude is the attitude,” his mom Amy said — a family mantra that Paul fully embraces.
As of May 2025, the Baier family hasn’t shared any new public updates, but Paul’s strong spirit and progress remain a powerful reminder: listen to your instincts, ask for a second opinion, and never take your health for granted.
