Robert Warren commonly known as Bob Woodruff is an American journalist and the co-founder of the Bob Woodruff Foundation. His journalism career spans over two decades since he began his career in 1996 at ABC News.
He began as a reporter for ABC News before transitioning to a prime-time news anchor. He alongside Elizabeth Vargas anchored ABC World News Tonight in 2006. Woodruff has also worked as a correspondent for ABC News, e60 on ESPN, GMA on ABC, and ABC World News Tonight.
Salary and Net Worth
Woodruff’s exact salary and net worth are not known. However, he is said to earn an estimated annual salary of between $ 200k – $ 600k annually as a veteran journalist. He has an estimated net worth of $2 million.
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Bob Woodruff Family
Bob Woodruff was born and raised in Bloomfield Hills, Michigan on August 18, 1961. His parents Frances Ann (Dawson) and Robert Norman Woodruff Jr., both worked as real estate agents.
Woodruff went to Cranbrook Kingswood, a private school in Bloomfield Hills, Michigan, and later joined Colgate University in Hamilton, New York. He graduated in 1983 from Colgate University with a Bachelor of Arts degree. Woodruff advanced his education by earning a Juris Doctor degree from the University of Michigan Law School in 1987.
Bob Woodruff’s Wife and Children
Bob and Lee Woodruff (McConaughy) got married in 1988. Lee is a motivational speaker, and author and also works at Good Morning America on ABC as a writer and contributor.
She also has a consulting and media training business where she helps clients become effective communicators. Bob and his wife have four children Macklin Robert, Cathryn, and twins Nora and Claire. Bob went back to Iraq 17 years after the horrific attack with his son Mack as one of his cameramen.
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Woodruff was in a Life changing Accident in 2006
Woodruff and his crew had traveled to Israel to report on the aftermath of the 2006 Palestinian elections then later went to Iraqi via Amman to Baghdad. At the time of the explosion, Woodruff and his cameraman were reporting on Iraqi and American security forces while embedded with the U.S. 4th Infantry Division.
They were traveling in around eight different Iraqi MT-LB when an IED [improvised explosive device exploded on the left side. Woodruff was hit by rocks and metals which pierced through his head while his cameraman Vogt suffered head and severe shoulder injuries.
They both underwent emergency head surgery in Balad before being evacuated to the U.S. Army’s Landstuhl Regional Medical Center in Germany that night. A piece of his skull had to be removed to reduce his brain from swelling. He was in an induced coma for around 36 days while being treated at Bethesda Naval Hospital in Bethesda, Maryland.
As of March 2006, Woodruff began to walk and speak several languages. He was also able to recognize a few of his friends and family. He underwent physical and cognitive therapy, as he was unable to find the correct words to express himself due to the brain injury.
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Bob Woodruff’s Career as a Journalist
Woodruff began his career in 1996 at ABC News as a reporter. In December 2005, he became the co-anchor of ABC World News Tonight alongside Elizabeth Vargas succeeding Peter Jennings. While reporting on Iraqi and American security forces, Woodruff and his crew were seriously injured in an explosion from an improvised explosive device.
After more than a year-long recovery, Woodruff returned to air on February 27, 2007, appearing in an interview on Good Morning America, The Oprah Winfrey Show, and ABC World News with Charles Gibson. Later that evening, ABC aired the documentary “To Iraq and Back: Bob Woodruff Reports‚” where they showed the effects of traumatic brain injury that Woodruff suffered.
In July 2008, Woodruff began hosting Focus Earth with Bob Woodruff, an ABC News production that aired on Planet Green. He covered environmental news, including climate impact, world events, and how climate change affects religious and cultural views and issues.
In 2014, Woodruff partnered with ABC Sports and ESPN to report and host the 2014 FIFA World Cup alongside Rubens Pozzi of ESPN Brazil.
