During a live taping of “The View” last week, co-host Sunny Hostin experienced a severe health scare that she later described as a near-death experience. The incident occurred when she unknowingly consumed walnuts during a cooking segment. On Friday’s episode, Hostin recounted the terrifying moment, stating she “almost died” after having a severe allergic reaction to the nuts, which were an ingredient in a Greek dish prepared by guest and former co-host, Debbie Matenopoulos.
The emergency began to unfold on-air as the hosts were enjoying the food. Hostin explained that she felt fine until her fellow co-host, Alyssa Farah Griffin, inquired about the ingredients. “And [Debbie] says, ‘Yes,’” Hostin recalled, referring to the presence of walnuts. “So I panic immediately.” In her state of alarm, Hostin resorted to writing what she termed a “death note” on a card to alert Griffin, who sits beside her, of the critical situation.
Detailing the tense moments, Hostin held up the note during the Friday show. “[The note] basically says, ‘I am allergic to walnuts,’ and [Griffin] responds, ‘Oh, no!’’” Hostin shared. She also remembered looking toward the show’s executive producer for help, saying, “And I’m looking at [executive producer] Brian [Teta], and he’s like, ‘Is everything OK?’ and …no, it’s not.” While the immediate exchange was edited out of the original Wednesday broadcast, the show later aired the footage, revealing Hostin’s visible anxiety and Griffin’s alarmed reaction.
Hostin was quick to praise the show’s medical staff for their swift and effective response to her allergic reaction. “They are like superheroes,” she said. “Nurse Jan came in with a cape, she had an epipen, she was testing me…” Griffin corroborated the severity of the moment, recalling her own fear. “It was actually scary, though!” Griffin stated. “I couldn’t tell if she was having a reaction, I couldn’t read [the card] at first.” Hostin commended Griffin for her composure during the crisis, admitting, “She was great in the moment, because I panicked.”
The incident led to a candid discussion among the co-hosts, with Sara Haines admitting she was unaware of Hostin’s allergy. Hostin confessed that she sometimes forgets about her allergy herself, often depending on a family member to inform restaurant staff about her dietary restrictions. “So, generally, this doesn’t happen to me,” Hostin explained. “This hasn’t happened to me in 10 years.”
Here is the segment from “The View” discussing the incident:
Although the hosts engage in light banter on the subject, Hostin could have suffered anaphylaxis, a severe, life-threatening reaction to the walnuts she is allergic to. Thankfully, the studio nurse was ready with epinephrine, the only drug that can halt and reverse the progression of anaphylaxis.
The disturbing takeaway is that few, if anyone, knew about Hostin’s allergy despite food being consumed during the segment. She also admits that she often forgets about her allergy and relies upon family to notify restaurant staff when dining out.
We reiterate that individuals with food allergies should never consume food unless they know precisely how it was prepared, including the ingredients used and the potential for cross-contact with their allergen of concern.
We also urge you to take two doses of epinephrine along everywhere, every time, and to administer the first when you first suspect anaphylaxis.
We are glad Sunny Hostin survived this ordeal relatively unharmed, but hope she takes it as a learning opportunity to treat her allergy with the seriousness it deserves.
