Before Fox News anchor John Roberts made headlines for being diagnosed with malaria earlier this year, few people realized that he had already faced a life-threatening health crisis in the past—one that changed the way he views both his career and his personal life. In 2018, Roberts underwent heart surgery after doctors discovered that several of his arteries were dangerously blocked. For someone who has spent decades covering wars, natural disasters, and political firestorms, the journalist admitted that nothing prepared him for the quiet shock of being told that his own heart was in peril.

In interviews following the procedure, Roberts was candid about how close the call had been. “I had 90 percent blockage in one artery and 70 in another,” he revealed at the time, adding that had he not gone in for a checkup, he might not be here today. He credited his doctors with saving his life, telling colleagues that the surgery gave him not only a second chance, but also a newfound appreciation for the simple things: time with his wife, fellow journalist Kyra Phillips, and their young twins. “When you’re lying in a hospital bed hooked up to monitors, you realize pretty quickly that deadlines and ratings aren’t the things you’ll be thinking about,” Roberts reflected.

During the surgery, Roberts later revealed, his heart actually stopped for several seconds on the table before doctors were able to stabilize him. The experience was so brief he never lost consciousness, but the knowledge of what happened has stayed with him. “It’s a strange thing, knowing your heart quit on you, even if only for a moment,” he said. “That thought doesn’t just go away—you carry it with you.”

The anchor later admitted that, like many in demanding careers, he had ignored subtle warning signs, brushing off fatigue as the cost of long hours. “Journalists are notorious for putting themselves last,” he said, “but that nearly cost me everything.” His openness encouraged colleagues and viewers alike to schedule checkups, some writing to him personally to say that his story pushed them to take their own health seriously.

Fast forward to 2025, and Roberts found himself battling a very different kind of health scare. After a reporting trip abroad, he contracted malaria, a diagnosis that caught many by surprise. The disease, which can be severe if untreated, left Roberts sidelined for weeks. He later admitted that the experience rattled him, but not in the way his heart surgery had. “With malaria, you know you’ve caught something, and there’s a path forward with medication. With heart disease, you don’t always see it coming. It sneaks up on you.”

Colleagues at Fox noted that Roberts kept his trademark humor even while updating them about his condition. One staffer recalled him joking, “If it’s not one thing trying to take me out, it’s another.” But those close to him also recognized the seriousness behind the laugh lines. Roberts knows he’s been given more than one reminder of his own mortality, and he’s made it clear that he intends to use them wisely.

These back-to-back health challenges have reshaped his outlook in ways that go beyond television. Friends say he is more present with his family, more protective of his time, and more willing to step away from the relentless news cycle when necessary. “I’ve been lucky,” Roberts said after returning to the anchor desk. “Not everyone gets a second warning. I’ve had two.”