Jeanine Pirro is known for her fearless voice and unshakable convictions on television. But beyond the headlines, the former judge and Fox News host has quietly faced hardship, heartbreak, and health battles and emerged even stronger.
A silent battle with cancer — and one final race to say goodbye
In 2012, Pirro received a life-changing diagnosis: cancer. But she kept it private for years, even anchoring her show wearing a wig and without eyebrows or eyelashes during chemotherapy
“You didn’t know about it,” she later told viewers. “But I was there, every week.”
Her strength was matched by her deep devotion to family. In 2019, when her mother became gravely ill with pancreatic cancer, Pirro raced to visit her and was pulled over for driving 119 mph on the way. She later explained, “I had been driving for hours to visit my ailing 89-year-old mom and didn’t realize how fast I was driving. I believe in the rule of law, and I will pay the consequences.”
Her mother, Esther Ferris, passed away later that year. “She’s too much concerned about me,” Ferris had told reporters. That kind of selfless love runs in the family.
A political fighter who wouldn’t back down
Before becoming a household name on Fox, Pirro built a career as a trailblazing prosecutor and Republican candidate in New York. She made headlines when she launched a Senate campaign against Hillary Clinton in 2005. Though she ended the run later that year and shifted her focus to a 2006 race for New York Attorney General, Pirro never wavered in her role as a strong conservative voice in one of the nation’s bluest states.
Even years later, campaign debts and FEC scrutiny lingered. In 2019 regulators said she still owed about $600,000. But rather than let setbacks define her, Pirro turned challenges into fuel, pressing forward with the same determination that built her career and solidified her standing as a conservative fighter.
Loyalty tested — and lessons learned
Pirro’s long marriage to Al Pirro came with difficult chapters, including public scandals and personal betrayal. But through it all, she stayed focused on protecting her family and career.
When she suspected infidelity, Pirro’s frustration spilled into headlines after her conversations with then–Police Commissioner Bernard Kerik became part of a federal investigation. She dismissed it as political theater, saying, “What matters is what I did, and what I didn’t do, and what I did was vent.” Through it all, she kept her focus on family and career.
Their marriage ended in 2013, but in a remarkable turn, President Donald Trump later pardoned Al Pirro, signaling the deep trust and respect both Pirros earned over decades.
Never afraid to speak her mind
Jeanine Pirro has never shied away from tough conversations, including one headline-making clash with Whoopi Goldberg on The View in 2018. Pirro later recalled that Goldberg cursed at her and even chased her backstage, while Goldberg insisted Pirro had insulted the panel first. Both agreed the exchange turned heated, but for Pirro it was another example of standing firm and refusing to be silenced.
In 2019, she was briefly suspended after controversial remarks about Rep. Ilhan Omar’s hijab sparked backlash. Pirro denied doing anything wrong, and after two weeks off air she returned with the same fire and conviction her fans admire.
Whether on the bench, the campaign trail, or the anchor desk, Jeanine Pirro has always been a fighter. She’s faced illness, loss, and public scrutiny, but she’s never lost her voice, her values, or her edge.
