Erin Burnett recently choked up while interviewing new CNN colleague Miles O’Brien; moved by his account of bouncing back mentally after losing part of his arm during a freak accident reporting in the Philippines.
“I think Miles is inspirational,” Burnett told TVNewser earlier this week at CNN’s upfront presentation.
“And you really can’t imagine how you would be able, after a few weeks, to be up, and out, and positive, and motivated,” she continued, adding that she was touched O’Brien cited his work as the inspiration to stay positive, even while dealing with pain.
“He’s been doing it despite the physical pain he’s in. Miles still feels pain in his arm where he doesn’t have arm, and he’s working until midnight every night…it’s incredible that he’s able to do that. It puts life in perspective.”
After being signed as an aviation expert by CNN after the missing Malaysia Airlines Flight 370 story broke, O’Brien, who is a licensed pilot, and spent 16 years with CNN, has been contributing on a daily basis during the network’s near nonstop coverage of the missing airliner.