After serving as a co-host on Fox News’ “Outnumbered” for a decade, Harris Faulkner recently announced that she will be making an exciting career change. The award-winning broadcaster will now be pivoting to a highly anticipated personal project.
According to a recent interview with People Magazine, Faulkner is set to film a series about being raised by her father, a Vietnam combat pilot, and how that influenced her life. The film, “Footsteps of My Father,” debuted on Fox on May 16th and is now available to stream.
“This is the most personal I have ever been in front of the camera,” she said, speaking about her personal project. “Trekking my dad’s combat trail in Vietnam was almost too much for my heart to take at times. I carried his burial flag with me in my backpack. When I landed in Vietnam, there was a rush of emotions. I missed my parents more than ever.”
The co-host added that she learned so much about the Vietnam War and how her father’s role was a microcosm of the true scale of the violent conflict. “What I thought I knew about that war and his involvement ended up being just a tiny snapshot of the realities of fighting in a war that U.S. citizens would come to protest against. My father served two tours of duty in America’s valiant effort to preserve democracy in a remote country that was succumbing to the spread of communism,” she said.
Faulkner praised her father’s character, claiming that despite the racial tensions in America at the time, he chose to fight for his country in an act of patriotism. “At home, our own nation was struggling with a violent racial divide. Yet, my father told his younger brothers and anyone who listened, ‘I chose to go fight for America because it was the best place on the planet to live. The U.S. Constitution clearly defines excellence and potential for America.’ He added, ‘The Civil Rights struggle is American freedom on the move.’ My father was a patriot,” Faulkner continued.
She further explained that her experience in Vietnam opened her eyes to the American goal of eliminating the spread of communism throughout the world. Faulkner stated that there are still visible signs to this day showcasing its communist roots.
“While I felt their kindness and openness to me and my Fox Nation team, they are a communist nation. In my special, you’ll see visible remnants and reinventions of that kind of government. And, you’ll actually hear my dad’s voice telling stories of his survival and near-misses in the war,” the co-host added.
However, Faulkner’s father passed away several years ago during the pandemic, where she noted he has gone to be with the Lord. She expressed that she hopes to meet him again one day and thank him for his honorable service to the United States.
“My dad died Christmas Day of 2020. He was dressed for the day, looking sharp and at peace. The Lord has him now. Vietnam reminded me of my faith and my singular purpose to live a life that will deliver me to heaven to thank Dad with renewed vigor and understanding for his service to our great nation,” she said.
Featured image credit: U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist Seaman Maxwell Anderson/Released, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons, https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Harris_Faulkner_in_Half_Moone_Cruise_Terminal.jpg
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