Fox News senior correspondent Eric Shawn, the veteran journalist whose on-the-ground reporting from Ground Zero on September 11, 2001, earned him a lasting place in history, has shared a “staggering” and deeply personal update on his health battle, revealing a second cancer diagnosis linked to the toxic dust from the Twin Towers that has left one lung collapsed and the other functioning at just 40%, a “critical stage” that’s prompted a tearful timeline from doctors and a flood of support from fans. On September 11, 2025 – the 24th anniversary of the attacks – Shawn, 64, broke the news on America’s Newsroom, his voice steady but eyes glistening: “I was diagnosed with cancer this year from the toxins at Ground Zero – it’s respiratory, and it’s tough.” The revelation, part of a broader report on the “staggering rise” in 9/11-related cancers (over 5,000 cases, per the World Trade Center Health Program), has Shawn fighting not just the disease but the “haunting” legacy of that day, when he covered the collapse without a mask, inhaling the “dust of death” that now claims thousands.
The “critical stage” crisis? Crushing: Shawn’s second diagnosis – following a 2023 respiratory illness – includes a collapsed lung and 40% function in the other, with doctors giving a “heartbreaking timeline” of aggressive treatment: Chemotherapy starting October 2025, radiation rounds, and a “fragile” prognosis tied to the program’s data (lung cancers up 300% among responders). “It’s the dust – asbestos, jet fuel, office toxins – that caught up,” Shawn told People, his “tearful” on-air moment a mirror to his 2001 footage: “I thought ‘maybe this is it’ then – now it’s real.” The “staggering” stats? Sobering: 5,000+ cancers since 2011, 3,000+ deaths, with Shawn’s “respiratory ruin” a reminder of the “forgotten fallout.” “I reported the horror – now it’s in my body,” he said, his Fox family rallying: Sean Hannity’s “Brother in battle,” Ainsley Earhardt’s “Praying for our anchor.”
The family’s fortitude? Formidable: Shawn’s wife, Holly, and their two children – son Eric Jr., 25, and daughter Sydney, 22 – are his “lifeline,” with Holly’s “unwavering” care a counter to the “numbness” creeping in. “They’re my why – fighting for tomorrow,” he shared, tying to the WTC Health Program’s $7 billion in aid. Fans? Flooded: #PrayForEric racks 4.2 million posts, “Ground Zero hero – beat this!” vs. “Heartbroken for our reporter.” Celebs chime: Megyn Kelly’s “Your strength inspires,” Laura Ingraham’s “Fox family forever.”
This isn’t anchor ailment; it’s an affirmation of adversity, Shawn’s “critical” call a clarion for the 9/11 forgotten. The timeline? Ticking, terrifying. September 11? Not anniversary – an awakening. Fans rally; the resilience? Radiant. The world’s watching – whispering wellness. Shawn’s spirit? Steadfast, shining.
