NBC News’ Richard Engel Mourns Death of 6-Year-Old Son Henry

Richard Engel is mourning the loss of a beloved family member.

On Aug. 18, the NBC News Chief Foreign Correspondent announced the death of his 6-year-old son Henry.

“Our beloved son Henry passed away,” he wrote on Twitter. “He had the softest blue eyes, an easy smile and a contagious giggle. We always surrounded him with love and he returned it, and so much more. Mary and Richard.”

The journalist shared a link to a memorial page on the Texas Children’s Hospital website, which offered more details on Henry’s life and his battle with Rett syndrome, a genetic brain disorder without a treatment or cure.

According to the hospital, Henry first came to Texas Children’s Hospital’s Duncan Neurological Research Institute in 2018 for care. He ultimately passed away on Aug. 9. 

“Henry was special in so many ways,” Dr. Huda Zoghbi, who studied Henry’s case, said online. “His loving and endearing smile, and the way he connected with his eyes, stole my heart from the time I met him. His quiet fight against this terrible disease was incredible.”