Once in a blue moon, Anderson Cooper will venture out beyond the confines of CNN’s studio to report on major crises. His appearance on the ground when Hurricane Milton hit almost became his last.
Cooper, 57, was broadcasting live from Florida as the Category 3 storm made landfall when he was struck by debris. People Magazine spotted video of the moment when the anchor was hit live on-air. “The water now is really starting to pour over,” Cooper said to viewers, “If you look at the ground… whoa!” he yelled as debris flung into the scene. “Okay, that wasn’t good,” he added. “Um, we’ll probably go inside shortly, but you can see the amount of water here on the ground. This is water from the Manatee River.”
Back in the studio, Kaitlan Collins rushed to reassure viewers that Cooper wasn’t seriously injured. “I do want to note for everyone watching who is very concerned obviously about all of our correspondents and anchors on the ground, Anderson is okay,” she said as the camera cut back to her. “Just obviously understandably difficult to establish a connection when you’re seeing what’s happening with the wind and the rain. And obviously the deteriorating conditions by the minute.”
More than three million Florida residents were left without power on Thursday morning after the second hurricane in two weeks moved beyond their borders. The Associated Press reported that Milton reached the Sunshine State as a Category 3 storm but was later downgraded to Category 1; still, winds reached as high as 90 miles per hour. State and federal officials are rushing to provide, shelter, medical and nonperishable goods to those in need.
“Extremely dangerous category 3 Hurricane Milton makes landfall near Siesta Key Florida,” the National Hurricane Center wrote on Wednesday. “Life-threatening storm surge, extreme winds, and flash flooding occurring over the central Florida Peninsula.” The AP reported that the city of St. Petersburg has received more than 16 inches of rainwater since the beginning of the storm. Milton also provoked the onset of a deadly tornado that ripped through a trailer park community in St. Lucie, killing three.
Cooper’s brush with death is not the first daring episode of journalistic heroism this month. In North Carolina, a Fox News reporter rescued a woman trapped in her submerged car following the arrival of Hurricane Helene. The remarkable incident was captured on camera as the male reporter guided her out of the water and to safety. Appearing on “Fox & Friends” the following morning, meteorologist Bob Van Dillen told the co-hosts it took all his strength to complete the rescue. “She was in there, she was still strapped into her car, and the water was actually rising and getting up into the car itself, so she was about, almost neck deep submerged in her own car.” Asked by Janice Dean what would have happened if he hadn’t stepped up, Van Dillen replied simply, “She would have drowned.”
Anderson Cooper’s encounter with Hurricane Milton was a chilling reminder of the dangers journalists face while covering extreme weather events. Reporting live from Florida as the storm battered the coast, Cooper found himself in the thick of the action when a piece of debris struck him on air. The moment, caught by People Magazine, showed the veteran reporter maintaining composure despite the hazardous conditions. “Okay, that wasn’t good,” he remarked after being hit, hinting at the escalating danger as floodwaters from the Manatee River surged around him.
Back in the CNN studio, Kaitlan Collins swiftly reassured concerned viewers that Cooper was unharmed, though the perilous circumstances underscored the challenges reporters endure to provide real-time coverage of such catastrophes. “Anderson is okay,” she confirmed, before highlighting the increasing difficulty of maintaining communication with those on the ground due to deteriorating weather conditions.
Hurricane Milton, which made landfall as a Category 3 storm, had devastating effects on the Sunshine State. Winds clocked in at 90 miles per hour, and by Thursday morning, over three million residents were left without power. The Associated Press reported widespread flooding and damage, with St. Petersburg receiving over 16 inches of rain. Meanwhile, in St. Lucie, a tornado spawned by the hurricane tragically claimed the lives of three individuals in a trailer park community.
Cooper’s close call echoes the recent heroism of a Fox News reporter in North Carolina, who rescued a woman trapped in her car after it became submerged during Hurricane Helene. The rescue was captured on video, showing the reporter wading into the water and pulling the woman to safety as her car filled with water. The bravery of journalists in moments like these is a testament to their commitment to keeping the public informed, even in life-threatening situations.
Though Cooper is safe, his brush with danger serves as a reminder of the risks reporters take to bring critical information to viewers during natural disasters. As Florida begins to assess the damage left in Hurricane Milton’s wake, stories of courage and resilience—both from those affected and those covering the events—continue to emerge.