Fans express concern as NBC4 anchor Leon Harris struggles on-air amid health issues

NBC4 anchor Leon Harris raised alarms Thursday night after struggling through a news segment, which quickly went viral and led to widespread concern for his health.

In the broadcast, Harris appeared to slur his words, miss sentences, and stumble over his speech just minutes into the segment.

During the opening piece, Harris had difficulty pronouncing several street names and began laughing after making multiple verbal slip-ups. As the segment continued, his condition seemed to worsen, with Harris visibly disoriented while attempting to read from the teleprompter.

NBC4 swiftly cut to a weatherman, Ryan Miller, who reassured viewers that Harris was "fine," although no official explanation for his behavior was given. The network has yet to respond to inquiries regarding Harris' condition.

The incident occurred during NBC4's 6 p.m. newscast for the Washington, D.C. area. Following Harris' abrupt exit from the broadcast, the station aired an extended weather segment, leaving viewers without news coverage for over 20 minutes. Miller acknowledged the flood of messages from concerned viewers, stating, "We want to assure you that our colleague Leon Harris is fine."

The episode came just weeks after Harris revealed he was recovering from foot surgery after breaking his foot in five places during a fall at home. However, some viewers speculated that Harris’ struggles on air might be related to his past battles with alcohol addiction. The anchor has been open about his struggles, including two DUI arrests in Montgomery County, Maryland, over the years.

In 2013, Harris was arrested for driving under the influence after a crash involving multiple vehicles. He later served a suspended jail sentence and publicly expressed regret for his actions.

A second DUI arrest came in January 2022, after a separate crash in which Harris rear-ended another car while driving under the influence. Following both incidents, Harris spoke candidly about his mistakes, acknowledging the consequences of his actions and his ongoing commitment to sobriety. “I made a terrible mistake,” he said after the 2022 arrest. “After drinking, I decided to get into my car and drive. This is the worst decision I could possibly have made.”

In addition to his struggles with addiction, Harris has faced significant health challenges. In 2013, he was diagnosed with acute necrotizing pancreatitis, a life-threatening condition that caused his pancreas to become inflamed and led to kidney and lung failure. He spent weeks in intensive care, where he experienced multiple instances of his heart stopping. Despite the severity of his condition, Harris made a remarkable recovery and returned to work after five weeks.

At this time, it remains unclear whether Thursday night’s incident was related to a medical emergency, his previous health conditions, or another factor. The 52-year-old Harris, who has been a fixture in the Washington, D.C. news scene for many years, is well-known for his candidness and resilience. Over the course of his career, he has earned numerous accolades, including National Cable Ace Awards and Local Emmys for his reporting and anchoring.

As of now, Harris’ supporters are sending their well-wishes, hoping for his swift recovery and a return to the airwaves soon.