Where has Mike Headrick been?
KSL-TV viewers have been asking that question, noticing the news anchor and investigative reporter has been missing the last four weeks from the local news station’s daily broadcast.
Well, Headrick made an appearance on air Tuesday to explain.
At the end of August, Headrick had a full shoulder replacement.
“Surgery went well,” Headrick said. “My new shoulder feels fantastic.”
But there were also some unforeseen side effects.
“One of those side effects,” Headrick said, “involves a slight paralysis of my tongue. As a result, some of the words I speak are slurred.”
Over the last couple of weeks, Headrick said he and KSL-TV colleagues have been “testing things out on the news desk.” He showed some clips of him reading scripts as an anchor and voicing an investigative story he’s been working on. The clips showed he’s been having difficulty voicing certain words.
“It’s kind of interesting, right? We’re still trying to figure things out on this. But bottom line, I’m in good health. I feel great. My shoulder is great. I’m just waiting for my tongue to be 100% great,” Headrick said. “And I feel like we’re almost there.”
Headrick thanked viewers for their messages and emails expressing support.
“I appreciate all of you,” he said. “Just know although I am not on air, I am still working behind the scenes here, helping KSL-TV put together the best news product for all of Utah.”
Headrick promised “as soon as I can properly say ‘Dixie National Forest,’ I’ll be back.”