'GMA' Weatherman Sam Champion Hospitalized for Emergency Heart Surgery

Beloved Good Morning America weatherman Sam Champion underwent emergency heart surgery.

On Sunday, March 22, the media personality, 64, shared a heartbreaking snapshot from his hospital bed post-procedure.

Champion seemed in good spirits as he smiled and waved to the camera.

"Thank you Dr. Stam Lerakis and Dr. Sharma and the WONDERFUL team of nurses at @mountsinaimedicalcenter Fuster Heart Hospital !" he wrote. "Many of you know I had a nuclear stress test last Thursday. And we found some things that needed to be taken care of so today. I went in to the cardiac catheterization laboratory….. and we took care of it. Thanks to these procedures. I am well and expected to make a full recovery.❤️."

In a separate Instagram Story selfie from bed, Champion expressed, "After: a little work then back to normal."

Robin Roberts sent her friend support in the comments section, writing, "You know here if you need anything at all! Speedy recovery on the way! ❤️."

Meteorologist Dani Beckstrom added, "I need to visit the cardiac care center after seeing this 😭 SO glad you are okay. We need you around for 26385926385 more years."

Today host Al Roker said, "Sam The Man. Glad you are on the mend, my friend."

In October 2024, Champion received a different surgery to remove skin cancer from beneath his eye.

"First pass of the knife with Mohs surgery today! Now we wait for results," he captioned a selfie on X at the time with a large bandage.

The media personality followed with an update via Instagram Reels to explain the next steps after treating his basal cell carcinoma.

"After my Mohs surgery… My doctor suggested #co2laser on some damaged areas to my skin… He identified as pre-cancerous. From day of procedure… Through the redness… The healing… The peeling… Newer and tighter skin emerges," he detailed. "This takes a little more than a week for the full process. And now I’m told I have to be vigilant with skincare and sunscreen… Looking good is always a plus… But the real deal here is, I may have prevented some problems in the future with Skin cancer."

Champion also stressed the importance of taking care of one's skin as he appeared on Good Morning America post-surgery, with a noticeable scar under his eye.

"There have been so many advancements in sun protection, sunscreen and laser treatments for pre-cancerous areas, so I hope, one day, no one has to go through surgery to get rid of skin cancer," he said at the time. "But right now, we have to keep our eye on our skin, our hands on our skin, be very vigilant and notice any unusual spots, and if those spots start to change, immediately get care."

Champion was previously diagnosed and treated for skin cancer at age 26.