Fox News journalist Benjamin Hall said he feels “damn lucky to be here” after suffering severe injuries covering the Russian invasion of Ukraine in which two of his colleagues were killed.
Hall was transferred to a hospital in Texas last month after the vehicle he was traveling in was hit outside Kyiv. The attack killed Ukrainian journalist Oleksandra Kuvshynova, who was working as a freelancer for Fox News, and cameraman Pierre Zakrzewski.
“To sum it up, I’ve lost half a leg on one side and a foot on the other,” Hall wrote Thursday on Twitter. “One hand is being put together, one eye is no longer working, and my hearing is pretty blown… but all in all I feel pretty damn lucky to be here - and it is the people who got me here who are amazing!”
Before he shared the status of his recovery, Hall gave a tribute to his colleagues, saying he had traveled the world with Zakrzewski, whose “joy was infectious.”
Fox News reported at the time that a nonprofit group worked with the Pentagon and Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin to extract Hall from Ukraine. He was moved to Poland and then to a medical center in Germany before his transfer to the U.S.
“We are in close contact with Ben and his family, and he remains in good spirits despite everything he has endured. His strength and resiliency in the face of this crisis has been nothing short of extraordinary,” Fox News Media CEO Suzanne Scott wrote to staffers last month. “Please continue to keep him in your prayers and we will provide further updates as needed.”
The Kremlin’s assault against Ukraine has stretched more than six weeks, resulting in heavy civilian casualties. At least six journalists have been killed covering the violence, which includes more than 5,000 deaths among civilians in the port city of Mariupol.
President Joe Biden has called for a war crimes trial against Russian President Vladimir Putin amid growing outcry over civilian deaths, including shocking images from some areas following the retreat of Russian troops.
The Kremlin has denied claims of violence toward civilians.