Live broadcasts always come with the risk of something going wrong, and anchors at CBS LA affiliate KCAL learned that firsthand this week after meteorologist Alissa Carlson Schwartz collapsed on air. Just as she was beginning her 7 a.m. report, the weatherwoman’s eyes rolled back in her head before she fell onto the floor. What’s even worse is that it took her colleagues, news reporters Nichelle Medina and Rachel Kim, a few seconds to notice what happened.
As seen in the clip, Medina introduces the next segment, saying, “Let’s start off with a check of your next weather with meteorologist Alissa Carlson.” The camera then switches to Carlson, who slowly begins to lean forward before her eyes start rolling back in her head. She then collapses and falls to the ground with a thud.
Still ignorant of what’s happening at the other desk, Medina continues, “Alissa, this really is the calm before the storm.” However, Medina soon hears the sound of Alissa hitting the ground and she and Kim quickly spring into action.
Alissa Carlson Schwartz’s collapse shocked her colleagues
“We’re going to go ahead and go to break right now,” Medina says to the camera, which still shows the desk where Alissa Clarson Schwartz was just standing.
The KCAL broadcast did not resume live after the break. Instead, a pre-recorded show aired in its place as Schwartz was given medical attention.
“Our colleague Alissa Carlson became ill during our 7 AM newscast this morning. I want to thank her co-workers who took immediate action to comfort Alissa and call 911,” CBS LA vice president and news director Mike Dello Sritto told TMZ. “Alissa is being treated at the hospital right now. Hopefully, we’ll know more shortly. In the meantime, Alissa will be in our thoughts and we’re praying for her to be feeling much better soon.”
Schwartz herself took to Instagram later the same day to let viewers know she’s doing fine. “Thanks for all the texts, calls, and well wishes. I am going to be ok!” she wrote.
This isn’t the first time Alissa Carlson Schwartz has had an on-air incident. Back in 2014 while reporting for a different station, she threw up live on air. She was later diagnosed with a leaky heart valve, though it’s unclear if her fainting is any way related to this diagnosis.
