What began as a typical cold turned into a terrifying medical emergency for Paul Baier, the 16-year-old son of Fox News anchor Bret Baier. Last week, Paul underwent his fifth open-heart surgery — an unexpected procedure that may well have saved his life.
“A lot can change in just five hours,” Paul shared in an exclusive interview with PEOPLE. “It’s important to appreciate every moment you’re given.”
Bret Baier in the hospital with his son Paul.
Paul, a high school varsity golf and tennis player, had come down with a cold while in Palm Beach, Florida, where the Baier family resides when not in Washington, D.C. Concerned due to Paul’s medical history, his mother Amy took him to see a doctor, who initially diagnosed him with rhinovirus. Still, as a precaution, she ordered a chest X-ray.
Paul was born with five congenital heart defects and has had more than a dozen surgeries since infancy, including four major open-heart operations — the first when he was a newborn, then at 10 months, 6 years, and 13 years old.
“Dr. Stein, the physician, was being very thorough,” Amy recalled. “She decided to order the X-ray just to be safe.” That scan appeared to show some tissue near Paul’s lungs. Out of caution, the doctor sent the images to Paul’s cardiologist in Washington.
A few days later, the cardiologist advised an MRI — and Paul and his father flew to D.C., expecting a routine check-up.
But the results were far from routine.
“They sat us down and said, ‘This is serious. There’s an aneurysm the size of a golf ball attached to his heart,’” Bret Baier recounted. “If it had burst, it could have been fatal within minutes.”
The medical team recommended immediate open-heart surgery — scheduled for the very next morning.
Bret, 53, who hosts Special Report with Bret Baier on Fox News, was the one to deliver the heavy news to Paul. At first, Paul thought his dad was joking. But once he understood the severity, he calmly responded, “Okay, let’s do what we need to do.”
That evening, father and son made the most of the hours they had. After a long series of pre-op tests, they hit the golf course — where Paul scored a birdie on the last hole, beating his dad — and shared a quiet dinner before a sleepless night.
Watching his son being wheeled away into surgery the next morning was deeply emotional, Bret shared. The family then endured an agonizing 10-hour wait.
The procedure was a success. Surgeons removed the aneurysm, and they believe this will be Paul’s final open-heart surgery.
Bret, Paul and Amy Baier.The Baier Family
Just five days later, Paul was discharged from Children’s National Hospital. Before heading home, Bret captured a photo of Paul standing strong in the same hospital where he had undergone his very first heart surgery as a baby — a poignant full-circle moment he later shared on social media.
Now recovering at home, Paul faces about six weeks of gentle rehabilitation — healthy meals, short daily walks — before he can get back to swinging his golf club or tennis racket.
His mother Amy reflected on the importance of being proactive when it comes to health. “You can never be too careful, especially with cardiac kids,” she said. “Paul didn’t even have any heart-related symptoms. We were just lucky we caught it in time.”
Describing his recovery as “going pretty smoothly,” Paul says he’s thankful not only for his life but for the medical team that made it possible. His gratitude has become a guiding principle for the entire Baier family.
“We always say, ‘Gratitude is the attitude,’” Amy said. “We actually learned that from Paul. Focusing on what you’re thankful for makes everything a little easier — even the hard stuff.”