Fox News reporter Eric Shawn revealed on Thursday he had been diagnosed with cancer stemming from exposure to Ground Zero on “Fox and Friends.”
The attacks on the World Trade Center and Pentagon and a thwarted hijacking of United Flight 93 killed 2,977 people on Sept. 11, 2001, according to the 9/11 Memorial website. “Fox and Friends” co-host Brian Kilmeade mentioned health issues a friend who was a firefighter at Ground Zero had since the attack carried out by the radical Islamic terrorist group al-Qaeda.
“I got a good friend, John McDonald, who was a firefighter on that day, and he suffered so much damage to his lungs, he jumped under his — and by the way, it’s his birthday today on September 11th — he had to jump under a firetruck to save himself, but his lungs have not been the same since, because something about that dust burned up the lining. You too?” Kilmeade asked Shawn.
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“Yeah, bronchitis, yeah, also cancer, from the explosion, that was diagnosed this year. And that’s been increased greatly, you know, as we’ve just reported. Because of the time goes by, the decades continue, that’s when it starts to — you start to see it,” Shawn responded. I mean, back then, I remember thinking, maybe 20, 30 years later, I’ll get something.”
At least 44,000 people have suffered from cancer related to the World Trade Center’s destruction, according to the 9/11 Memorial website.
“Well, here it is, 24 years, but, you know, I think of everyone who suffered far greater than I, and those in our country who have sacrificed, and the ultimate sacrifice, those who served in our armed forces, who went to Afghanistan, as well as everyone here,” Shawn said. “We’re all in this together. I mean, we are all in this together.”
Kilmeade and fellow “Fox and Friends” co-hosts Ainsley Earhardt and Lawrence Jones appeared stunned by the revelation.
“I am so sorry,” Earhardt said, with Kilmeade adding, “Yeah, I didn’t know that Eric.”
“Yeah, me neither, Eric,” Earhardt added, with Jones saying, “This is news to us.”
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