NBC Anchor Spotted Wearing Sling on TV — Here’s What Happened

Laura Harris, one of NBC 5’s morning anchors in Fort Worth, Texas, has been hosting the show with her arm in a sling. As a result, viewers were curious about what had happened to her arm. Harris’ arm actually accounted for her absence from the show a number of weeks back, according to Distractify.

Harris explained on Facebook in January 2024 that she would be taking time away from the show to address a persistent rotator cuff issue. “I have been playing hurt for far too long, so I finally got everything on this pesky rotator cuff fixed earlier this week,” she wrote in a Facebook post. “I’ll be off air for a bit, but I will see you very soon. Sling life is a little weird, but all good. LOL”

She updated her followers on Feb. 5 with good news about her progress. “Doc says I can return to work after rotator cuff surgery. I’ve got a long way to go, but thankful for the progress 14 days out from surgery. Still in the sling though! Thank you for all the kind wishes! See yall dark and early!!” She also uploaded a photo of her and her doctor, giving a thumbs up.

Harris returned to work after taking a brief absence, but she has not fully recovered. Even though her rotator cuff continues to heal, her surgery seems to have been designed to prevent further damage. She’s had a persistent injury for quite a while, but once she’s fully recovered, she should be even stronger than before.

On Feb. 13, Harris chronicled her return to work a few weeks following the surgery. “GD MORNING! 3 weeks out from rotator cuff/bicep surgery and I’m proud of how much I have been able to do. And now I have learned how to actually use my sling as my battery pack holder. Don’t call it a set back, I’m ready for the comeback!”

While it is unclear when Harris might be allowed to take off her sling, her return suggests she has mostly recovered. While it appears to have caused some viewers to wonder what happened to her, it doesn’t seem to have seriously impacted her ability to host the show for now.

Despite this, Harris is likely to have already endured the worst of rotator cuff surgery. Though she might still wear a sling, she is on her way to recovery and could even be back to normal sooner than expected.