Granted, a lawsuit could’ve cost NBC a hell of a lot more.
Still, the act of kindness is noteworthy.
Ashoka Mukpo, a freelance reporter and cameraman for a number of news outlets, has an unusual claim to fame:
“I have the dubious distinction of being the only American reporter to catch Ebola,” he told Vox.com. “I can definitely think of things on my resume I’m more proud of.”
And guess who’s footing his medical bill, which he says cost him $150,000?
“I’d spent three nights and four days sick in Liberia when the US State Department got involved,” he said in the story. “They have the ability to get one of the very few planes that exist in the world to carry you back for medical treatment if you’re a US citizen. It costs $150,000. They don’t ask you for that up front. And I very foolishly didn’t check if my insurance covers Ebola. It turns out it didn’t.”
NBC to the rescue.
“NBC has agreed to help me pay the debt from my treatment and take care of me as someone who is working with them,” he said. “That is such overwhelming good fortune, to not be saddled with this unpayable debt for the rest of my life.”
Hey CNN’s Chris Cuomo, might this be an entry for New Day’s “good stuff” feature?
After all, the news industry can occasionally be heartwarming.