Graphic Burns to ESPN Anchor Hannah Storm Revealed as She Returns to Work Weeks After Grilling Accident
Editor’s notes: some images below might be considered graphic.
NEW YORK (TheBlaze/AP) — Just three weeks after being seriously burned in a home grilling accident, ESPN anchor and former CBS “Early Show” host Hannah Storm returned to the air on New Year’s Day.
Storm suffered second-degree burns on her chest and hands, and first-degree burns to her face and neck. She lost her eyebrows and eyelashes, and roughly half her hair.
On a New Year’s Day interview with ABC News, photos of Storm’s burns were aired. Here are screenshots of a few:
Storm lost much of her hair, eyebrows and eyelashes in the accident. (Image ABC News screenshot)
She said in an interview with ABC, the burns on her neck revealed shapes where the flames had licked at her. (Image ABC News screenshot)
Storm’s hand was one of her most severely burned parts because she used it to whip off her flaming shirt. (Image ABC News screenshot)
Even after what most would consider a short period of recovery, Storm was back at it on Jan. 1 hosting ABC’s telecast of the 2013 Rose Parade. Her left hand was bandaged and she said viewers might notice a difference in her hair texture where extensions have been added.
In this photo provided by Hannah Storm, ESPN anchor Hannah Storm, left, poses for a photo with co-host Josh Elliott, anchor for ABC’s Good Morning America, on the parade grounds of the Rose Parade on Tuesday. (Photo: AP/Courtesy Hannah Storm)
“I’m a little nervous about things I used to take for granted,” she said by phone this weekend from Pasadena, Calif. “Little things like putting on makeup and even turning pages on my script.”
The award-winning sportscaster and producer was preparing dinner outside her home in Connecticut on the night of Dec. 11 when she noticed the flame on her propane grill had gone out. She turned off the gas and when she reignited it “there was an explosion and a wall of fire came at me.”
“It was like you see in a movie, it happened in a split-second,” she said. “A neighbor said he thought a tree had fallen through the roof, it was that loud. It blew the doors off the grill.”
With her left hand, she tore off her burning shirt. She tried to use another part of her shirt to extinguish the flames that engulfed her head and chest, while yelling for help. Her 15-year-old daughter, Hannah, called 911 and a computer technician who was working in the house grabbed some ice as Storm tried to cool the burns.
Soon, police and rescue teams arrived at the house. Storm’s husband, NBC sportscaster Dan Hicks, also had returned home with another of the couple’s three daughters. As her mother was being treated, the younger Hannah calmly said something that, days later, her mom could laugh about.
“OK, Mommy, I’m going to do my homework now,” she said.
Storm was taken by ambulance to the Trauma and Burn Center at Westchester Medical Center and was treated for 24 hours.
Watch Storm emotionally recount what happened with the grill that night, calling it a “wall of fire, a huge explosion”:
“I didn’t see my face until the next day and you wonder how it’s going to look,” she said. “I was pretty shocked. But my overarching thought was I’ve covered events with military members who have been through a lot worse than me, and they’ve come through. I kept thinking, `I can do this. I’m fortunate.’”
Other than going to Christmas Eve Mass, Storm hadn’t been outside until her trip to California. ESPN reworked its anchor schedule while she was recovering, and NBC and the Golf Channel rearranged their staffing while Hicks attended to his wife.
Hannah Storm, right, poses for a photo with her family, from left, husband Dan Hicks and daughters Hannah, Ellery and Riley on the parade grounds of the Rose Parade. (Photo: AP/Courtesy Hannah Storm)
Storm hosted her fifth Rose Parade, with some changes. She’s left-handed, and taking notes is almost impossible. Dressing and showering are challenges, too.
Storm said that long before her accident, she’d been inspired by Iraq War veteran, actor and “Dancing With the Stars” winner J.R. Martinez, the grand marshal at last year’s parade. He was severely burned in a land mine accident while serving overseas.
One attraction of this year’s parade that she was eager to see – the Nurses’ Float, and she hoped to use that moment on air to thank everyone who had taken care of her.
Storm wants to anchor “SportsCenter” in Bristol, Conn., next Sunday. After that, the Notre Dame alum is ready to go in person to watch the No. 1 Irish play Alabama in the national championship game at Miami. She said the school reached out after hearing about her injuries and had been very supportive.
“More than anything, I feel gratitude,” she said. “Something like this really makes you appreciate everything you have, even the chance to wake up on New Year’s Day and do your job.”
In CONTROL, Glenn Beck presents a passionate, fact-based case for guns that reveals why gun control isn’t really about controlling guns at all; it’s about controlling us. Find out more HERE.
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Comments (78)
SovereignSoul
Posted on January 2, 2013 at 2:11pmDarn right! Men never do anything stupid with fire and meat.
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Phreqguru
Posted on January 2, 2013 at 1:25pmsorry but a rib-eye steak cooked over red oak is the better option for grillin’ & chillin’
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Guitar Master
Posted on January 2, 2013 at 1:05pmzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz
From THE REPORTER
zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz
THE BLAZE is a new version of the old National Enquirer.
Does anyone really need to see this?
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gsp9993
Posted on January 2, 2013 at 1:54pmTake your pick on the new National Enquirer. The Daily Caller, Fox Nation, Breitbart all include skin articles and photos now. Pretty silly I think.
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mrunner
Posted on January 2, 2013 at 4:14pmThink it may be a trick to pull the low information voters into readership. Hey, if it works and they actually learn something about politics I guess I am for it…
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loriann12
Posted on January 3, 2013 at 7:16amApparently you were curious enough to click on the story.
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novemberelection
Posted on February 5, 2013 at 6:10pmI think the point is that the story is supposed to be inspirational especially with the reference to the military.
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GoodStuff
Posted on January 2, 2013 at 1:04pm“she noticed the flame on her propane grill had gone out. She turned off the gas and when she reignited it “there was an explosion and a wall of fire came at me.”
I don’t mean to pile on..but c’mon. This is common sense folks. If the flame goes out, turn off the propane tank and wait five to ten minutes for the gas in the air to dissipate. Oye vey. Anyway, hope she heals quickly.
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redfish52
Posted on January 2, 2013 at 1:50pm@goodstuff…this just proves the grilling is men’s work and should be off limits to all women including lesbians….sorry….someone had to say it.
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KenInIL
Posted on January 2, 2013 at 3:59pmNext time use paper to start your charcoal fire. Neither ever explode !!
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Bronco II
Posted on January 2, 2013 at 4:51pmWhen I read that part I said the very same thing and yes I’m a woman it’s called common sense I would have waited longer then ten minutes sorry she didn’t use her head on this.I pray she will heal and never do something that stupid again.
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Catherine A.
Posted on January 3, 2013 at 12:19amA lot of people here apparently did not pay attention to the story. She DID wait for the propane to disperse. She just didn’t wait long enough; she wrongly assumed the breeze had blown it away.
I’m not sure what it is she did that was “stupid.” She turned off the propane. She waited for it to disperse. ??? That she didn’t wait long enough makes her stupid? That’s a bit harsh.
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Sterling Hallbrook
Posted on January 2, 2013 at 12:50pmIronically reading about this on “The Blaze”…whatever, prayers to her and her family; she’s always been great on ESPN, unlike some of her colleagues..
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patbarker
Posted on January 2, 2013 at 3:58pmAmen Sterling!!! Hannah is a cutie, loves her husband, has a beautiful family and is excellent at what she does on ESPN, the liberal racist network that it is.
God Bless her and her family!!!
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softunderbelly
Posted on January 3, 2013 at 1:14pmNever followed her but one has to assume major skills. As to her accident, I flinched when I read some of the details. About eight years ago I suffered an accidental burn in my kitchen that was first and second degree on my left hand. To this day, I am sensitive to stoves and ovens being on and am somewhat paranoid about turning stoves and ovens off. My hat’s off to her.
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Rowgue
Posted on January 2, 2013 at 12:23pmIdiot. When the flame goes out on something supplied by a gas source, you turn it off and wait for built up gas to dissipate. You have no idea when the flame went out and how long gas has been pouring out.
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Mil-Dot
Posted on January 2, 2013 at 1:13pmWell, she’s a girl. You can’t expect her to know common sense guy stuff. They do silly things sometime. She got fried good. Glad she is OK. Holy smokes…..
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kaydeebeau
Posted on January 2, 2013 at 1:28pmHey – this girl knows the rules – of course I had a father who taught me such things (also taught me hunting, safe weapon handling, baseball, football, basketball….) Thank God for fathers and so sad that there are so few fathers left in our society
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smokie
Posted on January 2, 2013 at 2:09pmYeh, I think the “girl” comments should be amended to “girls whose fathers didn’t give a damn”. There’s a huge number of females out there who actually had dads that taught them things, like grilling and hunting and car repair.
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Catherine A.
Posted on January 3, 2013 at 12:22amRowgue, she DID wait for the gas to disperse. Pay attention.
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adlibn
Posted on January 2, 2013 at 11:37amWow, it’s amazing what makeup can do. She looks good.
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RodT82721
Posted on January 2, 2013 at 11:18amSo there was a reason for the grill manufacturer to put those warnings on the grill, to “shut off gas and wait 5 minutes” before trying to re-lite.
It seems gas maintains it’s volatility when not being burnt! Who would have thought that?
Like gun laws, no one pays any attention to all those govt warnings to protect us from our self.
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LukeAppling
Posted on January 2, 2013 at 11:16amA beautiful woman and a ,seemingly, good person shows that accidents can happen to anyone at any time a your life can be changed in an instant. God bless her an I pray she recovers fully. Think of the Wounded Warriors and their tragedies and contribute if you can.
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schroeder123
Posted on January 2, 2013 at 11:14amYa know, I have never been burnt grilling. I’m not saying anyone is stupid here.
But, for the life of me , how n the hell can you do this ? Did you poor gas on the fire ?
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searcher619
Posted on January 2, 2013 at 3:06pmThe grill was closed and the flame went out. Gas built up in the grill. She didn’t vent the grill before trying to light it again. The built up gas ignited and since it was a closed space she had a BOOM and a big fireball.
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Catherine A.
Posted on January 3, 2013 at 12:21amNo, the grill was CLOSED. She assumed the wind had blown out the flame, and also dispersed the propane. That was not really such a stupid mistake. No more stupid than not paying attention to the story.
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BruceB
Posted on January 2, 2013 at 10:41amBlew the doors off. Farrrrrrr out man.
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SaturdaysWarrior76
Posted on January 2, 2013 at 10:36amBeing burned like that is horrific and painful, I respect and admire anyone who can get through the treatments and pain. I wouldn’t wish this sort of thing on anybody! Prayers are with her as she heals.
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LatvianinUS
Posted on January 2, 2013 at 10:28amI feel her pain, I’ve been burnt not quiet as bad, but it still hurt like a *****. But now I think we should start banning outdoor grills and them evil highly explosive propane tanks, and of course electric starters or matches, maybe we should just ban fire altogether.
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tajloc
Posted on January 2, 2013 at 6:36pmNOOOO! To quote Gene Hackman in Young Frankenstein…”Fire is our friend.”
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Dontbefooled
Posted on January 2, 2013 at 10:27amGlad to see she’s doing we’ll, burn treatment and rehab is probably the most painful experience possible. I suffered 2nd & 3rd degree burns to almost 30% of my body, legs, arms, face and neck. It was three months before I had no open wounds. She’s doing very well for three weeks. God bless her.
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BODYBAG
Posted on January 2, 2013 at 10:12am“Home Grilling Accident” and a name like Hannah Storm.
Sounds like a porn star reality series.
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justicezero
Posted on January 2, 2013 at 10:11amGlad to see her back.
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Red Meat
Posted on January 2, 2013 at 10:28amWhat is this? The National Enquirer lite now?
PS: Beck got purged from the Seattle talk radio market today. Good riddance Mr. Sweater salesman.
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IndyGuy
Posted on January 2, 2013 at 10:45am@Red Meat…I used to live in the Seattle area…Mostly idiots populate the area…So you fit right in…Enjoy your little Marxist utopia….
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Red Meat
Posted on January 2, 2013 at 11:31amAnd you migrated to Indy? LOL Have fun smelling all the cow farts and watching the barn paint dry. Can’t really think of a more boring place in the world. Enjoy.
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Twinspeedr
Posted on January 2, 2013 at 12:19pmIt won’t be long before people in the cities will be begging to get out of the gangland they live in, at that point boring will be looking pretty good.
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Red Meat
Posted on January 2, 2013 at 12:52pmIndiana doesn’t look good even to the refugee’s brought in from Haiti.
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IndyGuy
Posted on January 2, 2013 at 3:20pm@Red Meat….I don’t live in Indianapolis…Not even Indiana…You know what they say about assumptions…
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OBUMAURMAMA
Posted on January 2, 2013 at 10:09amWhy do we still have BBQs? These insidious devices maim and sometimes actually kill and burn homes down.
Diane Finkelstien where are you? Anything that holds as many Briquettes or gas containers as these do, need to be controlled. No more than 10 coals or 1/4 container of propane should be allowed.
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mrmikejohnson
Posted on January 2, 2013 at 10:06amLet the grill bans begin!
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woodyee
Posted on January 2, 2013 at 11:11amThey’ve done it in England, and they’re planning on doing it here. In England, they fly heli’s to spot and photograph charcoal grill users in their own backyards. Then they send them fines by mail, unless a neighbor complains – then they send in the Bobbies.
Unless, of course, you’re Muslim – then you can’t even flyover their homes…
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Glennda
Posted on January 2, 2013 at 9:47amClearly she’s faking it. . . Benghazi Burns.
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IndyGuy
Posted on January 2, 2013 at 9:46amHillary in front of Congress…Now THAT would be a grilling accident…
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naughtycal
Posted on January 2, 2013 at 9:51amOne word CHARCOAL
Better tasting and no explosions
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Doug_Huffman
Posted on January 2, 2013 at 10:12am@Nauty Gal, what about Benz pyrene?
“Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in grilled food”, Larsson, B. K.; Sahlberg, GP; Eriksson, AT; Busk, LA (1983). J Agric Food Chem. 31 (4): 867–873. doi:10.1021/jf00118a049. PMID 6352775.
That said, I am a proponent of, particularly, radiation hormesis and against the Linear No Threshold hypothesis.
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naughtycal
Posted on January 2, 2013 at 10:45amHuffman….
Grain of salt my grand parents on bothside of my family grilled and smoked meats most of their lives the average life spans in my family are somewhere between 87-95 way above the national average. There’s very little cancer in my family as well……Science is always changing their theories on cancer daily more over a large percentage of the medical scientific community has for decades misdiagnosed cancers to fit political and personal ideologies of those with the means to fund them.
Think second hand smoke regulation is a health risk or just an ******** way of not having the smell an odor they don’t like or be around a temptation they don’t want.
Think Global; warming is a natural accurance or manmade……Hundred of years of science studies of tree,ice and geography points to nature but the powers that be want it to point to a new tax.
What melted the ice caps across north america and Europe … the COAL FIRE POWER PLANTS,SUV’s,inadequately insulated homes of 200,000 years ago.
As far as the science you mentioned goes We’re only here once as far as I know why deny yourself the only chance you’ll have to have a perfectly grilled medium rare T-bone,or beautiful seared smoked boston butt pulled and dressed with Carolina finiest mustard based BBQ sauce.
Sure you could eat boiled tofu and you’ll live but when you’re lying on your death bed decades from now what would you give for a chance to go back and say you may take my life but you’ll never
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Doug_Huffman
Posted on January 2, 2013 at 10:52amBrevity is the soul of wit.
Good people ought to be armed as they will, with *wits* and Guns and the Truth. God Bless Bitter Clingers, damn know-nothings, progressives.
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naughtycal
Posted on January 2, 2013 at 1:38pmAnd a rose by any other name would not smell as sweet……..As a New York strip searing on a open flame
Or better yet the world is mine oyster and with my sword I shall open.
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ZAP
Posted on January 2, 2013 at 9:32amBan the barbeque…
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Proverbs17-12NLT
Posted on January 2, 2013 at 9:43amNever let a good crisis go to waste democrats, time to Ban BBQ
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Doug_Huffman
Posted on January 2, 2013 at 9:31amClearly Senator Fine Swine must also ban assault barbeques, you know the black ones that are powered by high-powered propane and that can blow-up like a bomb!
μολων λαβέ molṑn labé ΜΟΛΩΝ ΛΑΒE “From my cold, dead hands” works for me.
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YAHSHUARULES
Posted on January 2, 2013 at 9:41amRUSSIA RT has warned Americans do NOT give up your guns for any reason. Oh the Irony of this given the agenda!
https://vimeo.com/52009124
If America goes down, the free world will go down with it and it will be finished for a very, very long time…
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Glennda
Posted on January 2, 2013 at 10:29amHUFFMAN . . .We’re comin’ to get ‘em.
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Zipit
Posted on January 2, 2013 at 11:33amHey WANG! At least when you come to my door, you won’t need to identify yourself, the pink skirt will give you away! You’ll make for some good target practice!
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Glennda
Posted on January 2, 2013 at 3:23pmZIPIT . . . That’s cute, but you know nobody ever comes to your door.
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GuruMeditation
Posted on January 2, 2013 at 9:25amLooks like failure to RTFM.
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biohazard23
Posted on January 2, 2013 at 9:16amWow. God bless her.
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RJJinGadsden
Posted on January 2, 2013 at 9:42amThis was on F&F earlier. Hope she is doing well.
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Leslie Anne
Posted on January 2, 2013 at 9:15amStories like these are the reason I use a charcoal grill or wood fire for cooking.
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Rowgue
Posted on January 2, 2013 at 12:29pmThe standard home stove/oven works the same way as a propane grill. Which is why most grills these days come with a kit used to connect to your home’s natural gas line.
Unless you are cooking on a wood burning stove inside your house then you’re still running the same risks if you do something as stupid as this woman did.
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