In a tragic video, NBC anchor Leon Harris had a health scare live on air, late last year, which prompted him to step away from his role to take care of his health. While no official information is available, many users wondered if I could have had a stroke live on air, given both his unusual facial reactions and slurred speech.
A prominent conservative account broke the story on X, formerly Twitter, which posted the haunting video where Harris can be seen struggling through a caiety of news segments before the camera mercifully cuts.
The post, which garnered a massive reaction on social media, read, “NBC4 Washington anchor ‘stepping away’ after suffering apparent health scare on live TV, network says.” In the comments under this post, many wondered if Leon Harris had been the victim of a stroke, such as one comment which read, “You can even see his left eye drooping in real time. Hopefully, he is ok. Sending prayers ππ»π”
Offering a statement on the matter, the network issued a document explaining, “We have an update to share with you about our colleague Leon Harris. Last week, Leon appeared unwell while anchoring News4 at 6. Leon will be stepping away from the anchor desk to focus on health issues. We here at NBC4 β and you at home β care deeply about Leon and wish him well,” adding, “We thank you for your concern.”
In the comments section under NBC 4’s post, members of the community shared their wishes. One commentator wrote, “Feel better soon, Leon! Wishing you a speedy recovery and all the best.” Building on this point, another added, “Good. Sending nothing but love, thoughts, and prayers to Mr. Harris. Whatever is going on, kick its butt and come back stronger than before brother!”
However, some users felt as if the network should have intervened sooner, such as one comment which read, “At some point, someone from NBC4 should have noticed something was wrong and not have allowed him to embarrass himself on air. Seeing the way he looked compared to his usual appearance and the way he spoke, someone should have said We are not letting our colleague do this. IMO.”
Expressing their love for the local reporter, one commentator wrote, “Mr. Harris is a favorite. Great voice. Great delivery. Great personality. We wish Mr. Harris well and look forward to him returning to the air.” Another added, “Thank you for the update. You are correct – we love Leon and only want him to be healthy. Sending positive prayers.”
"*" indicates required fields
Watch the clip here:
Reacting to the sudden news, one woman said, “So sorry to hear about this. He is one of my favorite anchor people and has been around for quite some time. Praying for a complete recovery!! Thank you, News 4, for the update! Get well, Mr. Harris !!! Β Look forward to seeing you again soon.ππΎππΎππΎππΎβ€οΈ”
Featured image from embedded video