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CBS News joyfully welcomed Lonnie Quinn back to the office after his two-month absence
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The meteorologist sustained a traumatic brain injury in March, which required two months of rest
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He initially thought it was a concussion, and encouraged his viewers to be cautious with the recovery for any head injury
The CBS New York newsroom is celebrating the return of its chief meteorologist after a significant brain injury.
Lonnie Quinn, the lead weather anchor on WCBS-TV who also appears on CBS Evening News, sustained a traumatic brain injury in March and needed roughly two months of rest in order to recover.
He made his joyful return to the office on Monday, May 5 — and now CBS is sharing a glimpse into the special moment his coworkers welcomed him back.
In a video posted on Tuesday, CBS New York captured employees embracing Quinn, 61, and clapping as he made his way through the office after months away. One person even waved a “number 1” foam finger in the background of the heartwarming scene.
Related: Meteorologist Returns to Work After Nearly 2 Months Off the Air Due to Traumatic Brain Injury
“It was a very major head injury,” Quinn said, per the station. “Once the MRI came back, that’s when the doctors came in and said ‘Whoa, whoa, whoa. This is actually a traumatic brain injury, not just a concussion. You’ve got to be out of work for six to eight weeks, rest and relaxation.’ “
Quinn initially thought he had a concussion after he “took a wallop on my head” in March, he said on Monday’s broadcast. He then went to the hospital just to confirm there was no internal bleeding in his brain, and his negative CT scan meant he could go home.
For a short time afterward, he lost vision out of his left eye. “There was no way I could go on,” he recalled. But it came on quickly and dissipated just as fast, lasting about 15 minutes.”
After Quinn completed the newscast that day, a CBS news director — “who really looks out for her people,” he said — insisted Quinn couldn’t drive home and that he needed to go to the hospital.
Rob Marciano/Instagram
Lonnie Quinn.
Related: CBS Evening News Returns to N.Y.C. with a Twist: Inside the Making of a New, Dual-Anchor Broadcast (Exclusive)
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At the hospital, where he underwent further imaging with an MRI, Quinn discovered he didn’t just have a concussion. On Monday’s broadcast, Quinn cautioned his viewers to take proper care in the event of a head injury, and to take doctors’ advice seriously.
“When you bang your head, your brain recovers nicely, but it only recovers while the body is sleeping,” he said.
“Listen, I missed you guys more than you know,” he said to his coworkers. “I mean, this is a business where we’re kind of connected to what we do, and I’m certainly connected with you guys.”
Read the original article on People
