Tragic Details About CNN's Kate Bolduan

Kate Bolduan, co-anchor of "CNN News Central," has been a part of the CNN family since 2007. Though she did make our list of worst dressed celebs at the 2024 White House Correspondents Dinner, Bolduan has largely kept herself out of the anchor scandals that have rocked CNN. But that doesn't mean she's had an easy life.

In 2021, Bolduan shared some X-ray images on Instagram and wrote, "When life hands you lemons, get a back injection (or 2!) So thankful for great doctors!" It wasn't clear what her condition was, but the injections don't seem to have done the trick, and she had to undergo back surgery. She hasn't been open with all the details (nor should she be if she doesn't want to), but she has talked a bit about her surgery on social media. In early 2024, Bolduan posted on Instagram about returning to work after back surgery and being required to wear flats (medical issues are one of the best reasons to ditch the high heels). A few days later, she posted a picture with her doctor, crediting him with saving her back. It looks like she was able to recover well enough to get back to water skiing at the lake in the summer of 2024, so we're hoping that she's able to stay healthy and pain-free.

Other tragedies that Kate Bolduan had to cope with are connected to her mom. Bolduan's mother was involved in a near fatal DUI. In May 2012, Nadine Bolduan drove while under the influence of alcohol and crashed into another car, seriously injuring Paul Fought, the other car's driver. Nadine pleaded guilty, and at her sentencing in April 2013, Nadine said, "I know how much pain Mr. Fought was in. I'm sorry and I beg your forgiveness. I don't expect to receive forgiveness," via KPC News. She was sentenced to a year in jail.

This wasn't Nadine's first brush with the law. On the 4th of July 1995, she hit two children, ages 9 and 10, with a jet ski; one of them died and the other was injured. She was not criminally charged for the accident, but both children's families filed lawsuits against Nadine with the surviving child's family receiving more than $1 million; the settlement with the deceased child's family has not been made public. Nadine passed away in June 2022. Kate posted in mother's memory on Instagram, "She was a giant in our lives. A fierce mama bear and loving wife."