Reporting on the Grammys, CBS 2 Reporter Serene Branson was on live TV when something went very wrong. She started slurring her words, and was no longer making any sense.
She sat down, crying and confused – what had happened? Her right cheek went numb, then her right hand – obviously something was very wrong.
The video quickly went viral, and people were concerned. Was it a stroke? Some of the signs were there.
But doctors now believe it was migraine attack.
Actually, these symptoms aren’t as rare as you might think. What was rare, of course, was that Branson was on live TV when it happened!
However, Branson is certainly not the first public figure to experience similar symptoms. Also in the USA, Senator David Long woke up with numbness on one side of his body, and was diagnosed with a minor stroke. But it turned out that it was actually a migraine attack.
Both these people did the right thing – they immediately had their symptoms checked out.
Anyone who has experienced symptoms like this can at least relate in a small way to Branson, although most of us haven’t had an attack like that on-air. She described the experience afterwards:
“I knew something wasn’t right as soon as I opened my mouth. I hadn’t been feeling well a little bit before the live shot. I had a headache, my vision was very blurry. I knew something wasn’t right, but I just thought I was tired.
So when I opened my mouth, I thought, ‘This is more than just being tired. Something is terribly wrong.’ I wanted to say, ‘Lady Antebellum swept the Grammys.’ And I could think of the words, but I could not get them coming out properly.
They sat me down immediately. I dropped the microphone. Right after that, my cheek went numb, my hand went numb, my right hand went numb and I started to cry. I was scared. I didn’t know what had gone on and I was embarrassed and fearful.”
Our thoughts are certainly with Serene Branson as she gets back to work. Thankfully she has gotten some answers and treatment.
Watch this video to hear Serene Branson’s own report of the event.
