This week is CHD Awareness week. We here at Life of Dad make it point to help raise that awareness. One way we do that is by talking with other dads who have experienced CHD in one way or another. This year Tommy Riles and I spoke with Fox News Chief Political Anchor & Executive Editor, Bret Baier.
Bret Baier’s son Paul has CHD. In his book, “Special Heart: A Journey of Faith, Hope, Courage and Love” Bret chronicles the journey of his son Paul, and the remarkable medical advances that have helped him overcome congenital heart defects he’s faced since birth. Plus 100% of the proceeds Bret receives from the sale of the book will go to various non-profit pediatric heart causes. For more information and to purchase the book you can visit www.specialheartfamily.com.
We here at Life of Dad want to thank Bret for taking the time out of his busy schedule to talk about his family and the journey they are on with having a child with a congenital heart defect.
Tommy Riles: Such a pleasure to have you on the show. Of course we both are big supporters of Saving Tiny Hearts out of Chicago and our good friends Francie and Brian over there. It is so good to talk to you.
Bret Baier: Yeah, they are great people. They do amazing work there. I am happy to hook up with them. Just a quick story of how that happened. I got a bunch of emails after our story about our son Paul came out when People Magazine did a piece on it. One of those emails was from this person who said can you come emcee this event we have in Chicago. My wife is from Chicago.
She explained her history and her son. At the end of it is said we would really love to have you, Francie Paul. My son’s name is Paul Francis. I said this is destined to happen. I got to do this. That is what started the relationship.
TR: What advice do you have for those parents out there when they hear that their child has the same diagnosis that Paul had?
BB: A couple of things. One is don’t be too proud. Reach out for help. Accept help when family and friends or anybody else offers it. Ask a ton of questions. Don’t think that you are being a jerk because you are asking too many questions. You are your child’s advocate.
No matter how good your health care provider is or how the doctors are, and there are many great ones around the country, you still have to advocate for your child in the hospital. Finally think about and envision what it is going to be like when your child is healthy. If he or she is doing something that you envisioned doing together. I always put in my mind walking down the first fairway at our favorite golf course. My wife envisioned playing on the sand at the beach. We kept that vision even in the toughest times in the hospital.
Art Eddy: There is a picture of you and Paul on your site where you guys are getting ready to go home from the hospital. Describe your emotions when you were able to take your son home?
BB: His first surgery was when he was just 11 days old. We spent a lot of time in the hospital. That first ability to take him out of the hospital and actually put him in the car seat and drive home. A car seat that had been empty, but prepared and ready to go for him to go home from the hospital the first time. It was a really, really big moment.
The second time with open heart surgery was the same. The third was a little bit tougher. As these kids can actually talk and express their fears and their pains it becomes a little tougher. Each time we hold him as he is going under for these surgeries. We have been blessed. He is doing fantastic. He is the tallest kid in his class. On the playground you would never know.
TR: Talk a bit on your book, “Special Heart: A Journey of Faith, Hope, Courage and Love.” What made you decide to write this book?
BB: We got through this and it was a journey. Our journey is not finished. Paul has more procedures and heart surgeries likely down the road, but he is doing fantastic. At the end of it we said this could help somebody. If I had a book like this that was readable I think it could help somebody in the beginning.
I started looking back at all of these emails that I had written to family and friends during the process. I combined it with the chronological order of my career and meeting my wife and then how we got through what we go through. Everybody has something whether it is congenital heart defect or another problem. Everybody has something. This is how we got through our problem.
TR: Having a daughter with a CHD has changed me so much as a man. It made me this fearless type of guy. If she can get through this, we as parents can get through this. Do you feel the same thing?
BB: Definitely. It has changed our whole perspective on things. Clearly this journey has made me a better father. It has made me a better person I think. It has made me a better anchor to be able to understand what is important and what maybe isn’t in the big picture. I think it gave me a new fresh perspective on day to day and how important those little moments are with family.
AE: What are some of the morals you look to instill in your children as they grow up?
BB: One, don’t take anything for granted. Feel blessed with what we have. The fact that we are in America makes us have a leg up on most of the world. Don’t give up. Don’t just coast. You got to work for things. I think that when I look at Paul through all of these surgeries, he was a real fighter. That is what I am looking to instill in my boys.
TR: You have interviewed Presidents, future Presidents, Speakers of the House and so much more. For me when I interact with my 
daughter’s heart surgeon he is the biggest rock star in the world to me. What is that like for you? You have talked to everybody in the world, but tell me a little bit about your interaction with the man that saved your son’s life.
BB: Dr. Richard Jonas, he is really one of the premiere pediatric heart surgeons in the world. We were just fortunate that he was here at Children’s National in D.C. He is amazing in that he has this calm demeanor with an Australian accent with a little tinge of Boston because he used to be up there at Boston’s Children Hospital.
He just has this ability to talk about things in a way that is both empathetic and matter of fact. He is a miracle worker as far as he is concerned. He reworked the way Paul’s heart worked. Essentially it was pumping the wrong way. As you know in a little baby it is a heart the size of a walnut. He just reworked the whole thing. Paul had five congenital heart defects. It was a really complex heart.
Life of Dad Quick Five
AE: What is your favorite family movie you guys like to watch together?
BB: “Dolphin Tale.” That has been a big winner for us.
AE: Do you guys have a favorite song that you all like to sing and dance to as a family?
BB: So we have at least a couple times a week when we are all together. Usually it is in the morning. We have a dance party. They like the “Kidz Bop” with the song “I love it.” They jam to it. We just dance around like ridiculous people. (All laugh.)
AE: Describe the perfect family vacation.
BB: Just us. Not any distractions and mostly outside. We are going skiing over President’s Day weekend. It is just the four of us. It is the first time that I am taking my kids. We are going to be outside as much as we can. We will be tired and then do it again the next day.
AE: Was there one moment that sparked your interest in politics?
BB: I remember being a kid and watching the convention coverage. People were wearing the big earphones and the balloons falling and all of that hoopla. I remembered being glued to the TV watching Peter Jennings and Tom Brokaw and all the rest. That was what really got me.
AE: Which is your favorite moment from any of your interviews with the different Presidents of the United States?
BB: I went to President Bush’s ranch in Crawford. That was really cool. It was his exit interview. He drove me around in his pick-up truck around his ranch. We were talking about all different kinds of things. That was good.
With President Obama the interview itself was before the health care law. It was a little back and forth contentious. Then we did a walk and talk afterwards and it was much more relaxed. We talked about a bunch of different things including that week Tiger Woods had his infamous nine iron in the back of his SUV. At the end of the interview I asked what he thought about Tiger. That of course got picked up by ESPN and everybody else.
Follow Bret Baier on Twitter @BretBaier
For more information on Saving Tiny Hearts CLICK HERE!