Fox News Anchor Harris Faulkner's Tragic, Real-Life Story

Harris Faulkner, one of Fox News' most recognizable faces, has built an incredible career as a journalist, author, and anchor. With six Emmy Awards to her name, including one for best newscaster, Faulkner has been a trailblazer in the world of television news. However, behind the polished exterior and professional success lies a personal story shaped by significant hardships and tragedies.

Throughout her life, Faulkner has experienced challenges that would leave a lasting impact on anyone. From her more recent on-air mistake with Donald Trump that raised eyebrows to facing a terrifying stalking incident early in her career, her life has not been without adversity. Her personal resilience was tested even further as she bore witness to some of the most harrowing events in modern history, including the Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting, which she covered live on location.

In addition to these public tragedies, Faulkner has also endured deeply personal losses. In 2016, she lost her beloved mother, Shirley Harris, a homemaker who instilled in her many of the values she carries today. Just a few years later, in 2020, Faulkner faced the devastating death of her father, retired Lieutenant Colonel Bobby R. Harris, a decorated Vietnam veteran and her lifelong role model. Through it all, Faulkner has found strength in her faith, family, and a commitment to telling the stories that matter. Her journey is a testament to her perseverance and ability to find purpose, even in the face of profound grief.

Early in her career, long before Harris Faulker met her current husband, Tony Berlin, she faced a terrifying stalking incident while working as an anchor at WDAF-TV in Kansas City in the 1990s. A boyfriend from her past harassed her relentlessly and even broke into her home, vandalized her car, and followed her from North Carolina to Missouri. The experience was deeply unsettling, and she later reflected on this period, saying she turned to her Christian faith to help her get through it. "I was working 50, 60 hours a week at the beginning of my career," Faulkner told the Independent Women's Forum. "And I would find time to pray." 

Faulkner's stalker was eventually arrested, and when he was released from prison, he immediately began to look for her. Luckily, she was notified of his release. "The first thing he did when he got out was look for me," she said on Fox News' "Outnumbered," per Mediaite. "And if they hadn't told me, I don't know that I would be here."

On December 14, 2012, Harris Faulkner was on assignment at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, Connecticut, to cover the aftermath of the devastating school shooting that took the lives of 20 children and six adults. Reporting live from the scene, Faulkner later described the haunting images she witnessed, particularly the arrival of hearses carrying the victims. "I have broken down [on air], and Sandy Hook was hard," Faulkner said about the dark day in an interview with The Washington Times. "I think because I'm used to that feeling of kind of all eyes on me as I tell a story, I'm okay with people seeing the truth about me. As long as they know I'm going to tell them the truth."  

This experience left a lasting impact on Faulkner as she grappled with the enormity of the tragedy. However, she admits that no one expects her to be inhumane when it comes to covering and reporting tragedies of this magnitude. "I don't think that anybody expects us to be so rigid that we're not even human anymore," Faulker told The Washington Times.

In 2016, Harris Faulkner's mother, Shirley Harris, passed away. Her mother was a homemaker and one of her biggest inspirations. Raised in a strong, values-driven household, Faulkner credited Shirley with instilling in her a deep sense of integrity and purpose. "I know she is a bright light in heaven cuz she rolled like that — a woman of God," she posted on her Instagram on the second anniversary of her mother's death. "Yet, I miss her so much it physically hurts my heart." Faulkner also posted on Facebook on the eighth anniversary with a photo of the memorial service program for her mother. "No spoken words on it. Just prayer today," she wrote, placing even more emphasis on her faith carrying her through the tragedy. 

In honoring her mother's memory, Faulkner often shares lessons she learned from her. "And when I did pray, I talked the whole time and remembered some words my mom had told me," Faulkner told the Christian Broadcasting Network (CBN). "'Don't treat God like Santa Claus. You have to be silent. You have to sit and be still because faith still moves mountains.'" 

Harris Faulkner faced another devastating loss on Christmas Day 2020 when her father, retired Lt. Col. Bobby R. Harris, died. A decorated Army officer, he served two tours in Vietnam and worked at the Pentagon alongside General Colin Powell. "I was so sorrowful and missed him so much," Faulkner recalled of the dark time in her life in her CBN interview. "I had lost my mother the Thanksgiving before that — four years. And I felt loss." She also shared her grief publicly on Facebook, calling him her "North Star." "My dad Ret. Lt. Col. Bobby R. Harris has died," she wrote. "I shall remain silent for a bit, while our family's Christmas North Star takes his place in heaven."

This loss, compounded by the global challenges of the pandemic, couldn't have been easy for Faulkner, but she leaned on her faith to carry her through. "I've been put here as a witness and in that role through the testimonies that I've collected, I learned how to pray better," she told CBN. Despite the personal tragedies, she has endured, and while she has experienced her share of difficulties (and some cringeworthy fails on Fox), she continues to thrive as a journalist and author.