Eric Bolling discusses son’s overdose in White House video: ‘We never saw it coming’

Former Fox News anchor Eric Bolling on Thursday described his son’s drug overdose for a White House summit on the opioid crisis. 

“We never saw it coming,” Bolling said in the video released by the White House. “We never thought we would get that call.” 

The White House Opioids Summit began Thursday, with remarks by President Trump and first lady Melania Trump. Top administration officials have gathered to discuss the epidemic that Trump declared a public health emergency last October. 

Eric Chase Bolling died at 19 years old from an accidental overdose one week into his sophomore year at the University of Colorado. He reportedly took street Xanax that had been laced with fentanyl. The autopsy last year revealed that he also had cocaine and marijuana in his system.

Bolling said last month that he was unaware his son was using drugs and that he “didn’t see any signs.” 

{mosads}

Bolling said on Twitter that opening up about his son’s death was “the hardest thing I’ve ever had to do.” He urged parents to understand that “not my kid syndrome” can mean overlooking red flags.

The former host of the Fox News’s “The Five” first met with Trump in January to discuss the crisis and discuss the White House’s approach to the crisis. He has said that the president has “empathy and compassion” for those affected by opioid addictions and has given his personal condolences to the Bolling family. 

Bolling learned of his son’s death just hours after he was forced to leave Fox News over allegations of sexual harassment by female coworkers.