Ever Wonder About the Story Behind Charles Krauthammer's Tragic Accident? Conservative Star Opens Up

Charles Krauthammer, known for his political views, doesn't usually open up about his personal life, but, on Friday, the public was granted a rare look inside.

During a Fox News special titled, "Charles Krauthammer: A Life That Matters," the commentator and award-winning columnist shared candid stories about his family, his education and the tragic accident that forever changed his life.

"Special Report" host Brett Baier took viewers through Krauthammer's intriguing story -- one that is filled with both highs and lows. At the start of the program, Krauthammer made it clear that he doesn't personally enjoy sharing his life story, but he agreed to do so in an effort to promote his new book "Things That Matter."

"I don't like it," he said when Baier asked how Krauthammer feels about the network's intense focus on his life. "When I say I don't like it, I'm not averse to the spotlight. I'm not going to pretend someone who's on television every night doesn't enjoy it, but when it comes to interior life, it's not something that's very interesting to me."

That said, the commentator shared some of the most personal and fascinating elements of his life, speaking candidly about his older brother Marcel who passed away seven years ago from cancer. Krauthammer said that he and his brother were "inseparable," despite their four-year age gap.

His close-knit family spent plenty of time at the beach and enjoying one another. From what was shown and discussed, it was clear Krauthammer has fond memories. He even delved into one of his father's rules for the family: No television consumption.

Despite being a prominent on-air personality, Krauthammer's parents didn't allow a TV set in their home. Sunday nights were the only exception, as the family would go to a neighbor's home every week to watch the "The Ed Sullivan Show."

On the education front, Krauthammer also shared his journey from Oxford University to Harvard Medical School (he studied psychiatry at the latter institution).

Watch him describe these portions of his life, below:

The subsequent segment was perhaps the most personal, as it dealt with the tragic injury that left Krauthammer paralyzed when he was just 22 years old.

At the time, he was studying at Harvard and recalled skipping morning classes one day to play tennis with a friend. On their way to afternoon classes, the two stopped off for what they thought would be a quick swim.

"We go for a swim, we take a few dives and I hit my head on the bottom of the pool," he said. "The amazing thing is there was not even a cut on my head. It just hit at precisely the angle where all the force was transmitted to one spot ... the cervical vertebrae which severed the spinal cord."

Krauthammer told Baier that he knew immediately what had happened and that his life would be forever changed, as he was found himself unable to move at the bottom of the pool.

Ironically, at the time, he was studying the spinal cord in school.

"There were two books on the side of the pool when they picked up my effects," Krauthammer continued. "One was 'The Anatomy of the Spinal Cord' and the other one [was] 'Man's Fate' by André Malraux."

This rare look into Krauthammer's life provided context and fascinating information about a man who so regularly shares his views on the current state of affairs.

Featured Image Credit: Fox News

(H/T: Fox News Insider)

--

[related]