Podcast Summary: Chasing Life – "Anchoring Autism: How a Father’s Devotion Helped His Son Adapt to the World"

Host: Dr. Sanjay Gupta (CNN Podcasts)
Guest: Leland Vittert, NewsNation Anchor, Author of Born Lucky
Date: November 14, 2025

Episode Overview

This episode of Chasing Life centers around the extraordinary father-son relationship between news anchor Leland Vittert and his father, as chronicled in Vittert’s memoir Born Lucky. Diagnosed with autism as a child during a period when the condition was little understood, Vittert shares how his father’s unwavering support, hands-on teaching, and emotional resilience helped him navigate a world that was not built for him. The conversation explores universal themes of parental love, family sacrifice, resilience in adversity, and the evolving understanding of autism.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Motivations for Writing Born Lucky

• Dual Purpose: Vittert’s goals were to give hope to parents of struggling children and to express gratitude to his father for the sacrifices made on his behalf.
  • Quote: "One is to give hope to every parent of a kid who is struggling the way I did... I wanted my dad to understand the incredible gratitude that I have and understanding I have for all of the sacrifices he made." — Leland Vittert [03:29]
• His diagnosis wasn’t discussed openly within the family until adulthood; his father shielded him from the label and the low expectations often attached.

2. The “Whole Family Experience” of Autism

• Leland describes the impact his struggles had on his entire family, emphasizing nightly rituals where his father, after helping “put [him] back together,” would later cry alone from emotional exhaustion.
  • Quote: "...he would spend a couple of hours in my room just sort of putting me back together. ...He would walk downstairs in our house and he would sit in the living room by himself and start crying." — Leland Vittert [03:54]
• The experience is framed as a collective journey, with both parents and his younger sister shaping—and being shaped by—his challenges.

3. Shifts in the Landscape of Autism Diagnosis and Approach

• Leland contrasts the 1980s diagnosis, marked by secrecy and low expectations, with today’s emphasis on celebrating neurodiversity. He cautions against viewing one approach as a universal solution.
  • Quote: "...the way my dad approached me...is a very different way of dealing with things than maybe in vogue today." — Leland Vittert [08:16]

4. The Question of Labels and Identity

• Vittert’s father rejected publicly labeling him as autistic to avoid setting limitations—he likens autism to alcoholism: it doesn’t go away, but you manage it daily.
  • Quote: "Autism is not everything you're ever cured of...it's something you have to work at every day. It will always be with you." — Leland Vittert [09:32]
• He credits not having the label as crucial to his drive and self-esteem.

5. Social Learning and Unique Upbringing

• Vittert details how his father, realizing his son’s inability to intuit social cues, invested enormous time in coaching him how to “read” social situations—often using real-world outings and gentle, private cues (such as tapping a watch) to help him learn.
  • Quote: "He taught me, you know, minute by minute, the social and emotional fabric that comes so naturally to other people." — Leland Vittert [01:52]
  • Role play and feedback after social interactions formed the backbone of his social education. [13:08]

6. Resilience and the Role of Adversity

• Vittert’s journey was marked by intense bullying and exclusion, not only by peers but even by teachers (notably, relaying a teacher’s cruel public comment—[06:39–06:40]).
• His father’s philosophy was to meet adversity head-on but to never allow victimhood or self-pity.
  • "Victimhood is like fentanyl. It is both addictive and destructive. That was the one thing my dad never let me be. You are not a victim." — Leland Vittert [29:59]

7. Family Narratives and Generations of Character

• The importance of work ethic and character is a recurrent theme—passed down from Leland’s grandfather (via a letter to his father), to his father, and then to him.
  • Quote: "Character is destiny...you as a man are not defined by your success or your accolades...it is who you are as a man, your character." — Leland Vittert [19:23]

8. Siblings and the Ripple Effects of Disability

• Leland emphasizes the burden his challenges placed on his sister, who coped with the stigma and cruelty directed at her because of his reputation in school.
  • Quote: "She was known in her class as the retarded kid's sister...I thought it was really important in Born Lucky to highlight for people...how hard it was on Liberty." — Leland Vittert [22:20]

9. Defining Moments: Integrity in Career and Adversity

• Vittert’s exit from Fox News—triggered by his on-air insistence on election truth—becomes an example of living by the principle of “character is destiny.”
  • He describes being at his lowest after his job loss and COVID-19 hospitalization, with his father again encouraging resilience: "You went back to school every day in eighth grade. You can do this too." — Leland Vittert [27:07]

10. Romantic Partnership and Moving Forward

• Leland attributes much of his current happiness to meeting his wife, Rachel, whose emotional intelligence balances his own challenges.
  • Quote: "Her emotional intelligence is about the temperature of the sun...it helps." — Leland Vittert [29:59]

11. Autism in Public Discourse

• Responding to RFK Jr.’s characterization of children with autism, Leland acknowledges its accuracy for some families, but presses for nuance: autism is a spectrum, and every experience is unique.
  • "I think we have to be honest that, as you pointed out, autism is a spectrum...There's also people like me." — Leland Vittert [31:36]
• He stresses the urgent need to find the causes and more effective interventions for autism:
  • "Why wouldn't we be, Doc? Why wouldn't we be obsessed with finding the cause of this?" — Leland Vittert [33:26]

12. The Core Message: Parental Love and Hope

• The book, while rooted in his autism journey, is ultimately about parental devotion and family strength.
  • Quote: "It's a story of parental love and the power of parental love and the hope parents should have that their kids can be more. It's not a book about autism...it's a book about a father and a son." — Leland Vittert [34:10]

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On family sacrifice:
  "I wanted my dad to understand...while he was still with us that I understood the sacrifices and was so grateful for him that he had made." — Leland Vittert [04:23]
• On the difficulty of social learning:
  "The real challenge for you that I see is matching the emotional tenor of your guest...that's about the hardest thing in the world for me to do, match someone's emotions because I'm autistic." — Leland Vittert [11:16]
• On the origins of his nickname and the book’s title:
  "My nickname is Lucky...At birth, the umbilical cord was tied around my neck and in two knots...the doctor...crossed out Leland Vitter and wrote, call him Lucky." — Leland Vittert [17:10]
• On enduring adversity:
  "My dad's philosophy was, life's hard, but I'm going to hold your hand through the adversity. We're going to walk through this together." — Leland Vittert [27:40]
• On rejecting victimhood:
  "Victimhood is like fentanyl...addictive and destructive. That was the one thing my dad never let me be." — Leland Vittert [29:59]

Timestamps for Key Segments

• Opening: Dr. Gupta Introduces Theme — [00:02]
• Leland on Motivations for Book — [03:29]
• Childhood Struggles and Father's Sacrifice — [03:54–04:23]
• Teachers as Bullies, the “Afterword” Story — [06:39–08:05]
• Changing Approaches to Autism — [08:05–09:32]
• Television Career & Social Dynamics — [10:03–13:06]
• Social Coaching by His Father — [13:08–14:54]
• Impact on Siblings and Mother — [22:20–25:11]
• Fox News Departure and Resilience — [25:46–27:40]
• On Victimhood, Recovery, Marriage — [29:49–30:56]
• Public Discourse on Autism (RFK Jr. Comments) — [30:56–34:10]
• Closing Reflections: Message of Hope — [34:10–35:42]

Tone & Style

The conversation is deeply personal, honest, and occasionally raw, but always hopeful. Leland Vittert exudes humor and self-awareness, while Dr. Gupta brings empathy, parental perspective, and clinical insight. The episode balances the specificity of Vittert’s journey with universal lessons on family, adversity, and the power of unconditional love.

Final Message

Born Lucky and this conversation challenge assumptions about autism, resilience, and what it means to nurture children “as they are.” Ultimately, the episode reminds listeners that love, grit, and authenticity can anchor a child—and a whole family—even in the face of extraordinary uncertainty.