Harold Dow's Cause of Death: Asthma Behind the Wheel

As the CBS News community continues to mourn the loss of one of its strongest news faces, greater clarity is emerging regarding the cause of his death.

Veteran 48 Hours correspondent Harold Dow died on Saturday morning at the age of 62. An early AP report noted that it wasn't clear whether the five-time Emmy winner had been at home at the time of his sudden death.

But late last night, Dow's family released a statement linking his death to an asthma attack behind the wheel. The CBS News report reveals that, according to the Hackensack Police department, an inhaler was found on the floor of Dow's car. Also within that family statement was word that Dow had been suffering from severe asthmatic symptoms before the fatal moment, which prompted him to check into a New Jersey hospital last Monday for emergency treatment.


For a full appreciation, head to the network where Dow made his journalistic magic happen: CBS News.

Harold Dow, the longtime CBS reporter and a fixture on the newsmagazine 48 Hours, died of an apparent asthma attack while driving near his home in northern New Jersey, his family said last night.
Dow, 62, had been diagnosed with adult onset asthma and was hospitalized last week for treatment of what a family spokesman called severe asthmatic symptoms.
It is unclear when he was released but it appears that Dow succumbed to an asthma attack while behind the wheel, according to a prepared statement released by his family.
According to the Hackensack Police Department incident report, an inhaler was found on the floor of Harolds vehicle, it said.

[Source]