Posted on 09/09/2013 3:42:42 PM PDT by nickcarraway
News anchor Leon Harris, a beloved fixture on Washington ABC affiliate WJLA-TV, has recovered from a severe medical condition that nearly killed him. In fact, Harris says that he died twice while under care, making his triumphant return to the anchor’s desk tonight even more remarkable.
As reported by Yahoo! News, Harris, 52, appeared on Good Morning America earlier today to share details about his health scare and how it nearly took his life. A 20-year veteran, Harris says after doubling over from severe abdominal pain on Aug. 1, it was revealed that he suffered from acute necrotizing pancreatitis. Doctors at Baltimore’s John’s Hopkins Hospital made the discovery after he was airlifted to the facility. It was worse than Mike Tyson punching me,” says Harris. “It was the worst pain I think I’ve ever felt in my life.”
Harris’ kidneys were failing him and his lungs were filling with fluid. For nine days, Harris needed the assistance of a ventilator to breathe and suffered so much, he felt himself losing the will to live and even told his wife, Dawn, and their two children to make preparations. Watch Leon Harris talk about his experience here:
“On two different days I died,” he said. “I zeroed out and they revived me. I got sick and tired of trying to breathe. It was like trying to snorkel across a lake breathing through a cocktail straw.” But what happened next was truly a miracle.
“And I closed my eyes and I happened to see Dawn’s face. And I said, ‘I can’t quit on her. If I quit on her, I’m going to go to hell, and if I go to hell, I’m not going to go to hell for quitting,’” he shared. Shortly after the vision of his wife’s smiling face, Harris’ condition improved rapidly.
Now with half a pancreas, Harris is slated to join the evening news team at WJLA for the 5 p.m. and 11 p.m. airings. Despite a return to his normal schedule, Harris realizes how blessed he is.
“If I die twice on the table and I’m still here…God kicked my butt out of Heaven twice, so I’m supposed to be here,” Harris said. “I can’t quit.”
He has a wonderful attitude. Good for him.
He didn't die twice; he didn't die once. And you can only die once. Near death is not death. But glad he made it.
I guess they mean, “clinically dead.”
Actually, if a person has ceased breathing and no longer has a pulse, they are dead.
In emergency medicine, we can argue about it with a defibrillator and a box of drugs and if not too much cellular destruction has occurred, we sometimes win that argument.
That's why some "dead" people wake up in the morgue.
Funny. I just came back from the hospital.
3rd time in a week.
Yeahhhhhhh.....
Neat. Thanks.
YOU BETTER STAY WELL.
Or I’m kicking your a$$.
Thanks for posting...
That must have been annoying. Or you are just addicted to nurses?
“acute necrotizing pancreatitis” is definitely bad. One heck of a Wiki.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Necrotizing_pancreatitis
Zombie reporter?
Lordy! This is written so poorly!
Worst mistake: “John’s Hopkins”. What? I realize that for people who live in other regions the name Johns Hopkins Hospital may be unfamiliar, but those who live in the region and are alleged journalists have no excuse.
Dude! my Doctor and one of the nurses were beautiful.
I almost wanted to stay the night but, they are strictly ER.
Maybe I’ll break my ulna and have to back.
You and Humble can come and kick my ass.
I’m probably too much for one of you.
But, you bass terds are mean enough to just never fight fair.
LOL
There is such a thing as a ‘fair fight’?
Huh. Go figure. :)
No but, you can apparently have a rather small strike.
WTF???
Our gubmint is sohhh stupid.
But, we got some pretty hot gals.
A vision of either of my ex-wives on my deathbed would serve to finish me off.
Did you ever see that Ad on Ebay about 12 years ago where a guy set up a bid and the winner would get his asks kicked???
That wuz so damned funny.
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