Back in 2018, Richard and his wife, Mary Forrest, opened up about their son’s condition during an appearance on Today. At the time, the couple recalled how they came to learn of Henry’s diagnosis. Richard explained that after taking him to multiple doctors, they made the choice to do a full genetic scan.
“I called the doctor and he said, ‘We found something and It’s very, very severe and it’s lifelong, not treatable,” Richard said, later adding, “It was the worst day of my life.”
And while the family has continued to remain strong against all odds, Richard has recounted better days as well since then.
In an essay Richard wrote for Today published in 2019, the NBC News chief foreign correspondent shared that Henry had called him “Dada” for the first time.
“I finally got a ‘Dada,” he wrote. “It was a long time coming, which made it all the sweeter — an unexpected reward.”
Richard later added, “To parents with typically developing children, a little Dada may not seem like a big deal. But for me it was a validation, an acknowledgement that he’s in there, knows me, knows that his mother and I are forces for good in his life, and above all, that he loves us.”
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