Neil Cavuto was celebrated for his dedication and hard work. For almost 30 years, the now-former Fox anchor powered through some of his most difficult moments while maintaining his job. During his departure announcement in 2024, Neil thanked his bosses for their patience when he took off “a day or two here and there battling everything from multiple sclerosis and COVID to countless infections, even open heart surgery.”

“I might’ve been unlucky in health but very lucky for the support I got here and the things I got to do here because I got to do what I love to do — report the news,” Neil said while announcing his exit from the network in December 2024.

Learn about Neil’s health and how he overcame all of the setbacks, here.

Why Did Neil Cavuto Have Open Heart Surgery?

Neil recalled what led to his open heart surgery during a 2016 interview with The Wrap, calling the health crisis “a bitch” to deal with. At the time, he had gotten over the hurdles of cancer and multiple sclerosis.

“I had low cholesterol, if you can believe it, because my food pyramid consists of Italian sausage and cannolis,” Neil jokingly quipped. “As I was doing the stress test, I noticed all these guys in white lab coats descending on me. I thought, ‘This is weird.’”

Doctors decided that Neil needed bypass surgery as soon as possible. He had been dealing with chest pains and difficulty breathing.

“This was the most pain I’ve ever felt. I’ve developed a pretty high threshold for pain,” Neil said. “Before I had cancer, I was a wuss with needles. Once you have chemo, you get over the needle thing. With the M.S., I got used to constant fatigue, but this, this was a bitch. Once they rip your chest open, stop your heart and have you on a machine for four hours as they’re operating on you, you come out of that just writhing in pain.”

What Is Multiple Sclerosis?

Multiple sclerosis is a condition when the immune system attacks the protective sheath over nerve fibers, which interrupts signals between a person’s brain and their body, according to Mayo Clinic. Patients living with MS can have weakness or numbness in the body, trouble walking, vision changes or other symptoms.

Neil was diagnosed with MS in 1997, according to Brain & Life. His diagnosis came a decade after he beat cancer. “It was hard for me to accept that I had MS 10 years after beating cancer,” he said, according to the outlet. “The odds are approximately 2 million to 1 of developing both.”

What Cancer Did Neil Cavuto Have?

Neil had stage 4 Hodgkin’s lymphoma in the 1990s, according to Brain & Life. He managed to beat the cancer.