What to Know About Dan O'Toole, the Canadian Sports Anchor Who Said His Daughter Was 'Taken'
Canadian sports anchor Dan O’Toole drew both support and concern from millions across the globe after he announced that his newborn daughter was missing — and then eventually safe — last week.
O’Toole, 44, said on Thursday that his daughter Oakland had been “taken” from him. Then hours later, said that she was safe, but still out of his care.
“My baby Oakland has been confirmed to be safe. I have still not seen her or held her," he wrote in an Instagram that has since been deleted. "To those that decided to bash me during this ordeal, tell me this: have you ever looked in the eyes of your kids, and not been able to tell them where their sister is or when they will see her again?"
He added: “We are still broken. We may never be fixed again.”
The Toronto Police Department told PEOPLE that as of last week it did not have a report of a missing infant pertaining to O’Toole, and that no amber alert had been issued.
Here’s what to know about O’Toole and his young daughter.
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She joined the family in May
O’Toole announced the birth of little Oakland on May 26 with a sweet Instagram post that featured the child swaddled in a baby blanket.
“When you self isolate long enough, you get one of these as a door prize!! Meet Oakland Eleanor Sandra Newman-O’Toole,” he captioned the post. “My brand new lil girl who has a million names, and all of my heart. In case it was ever in doubt, now officially NEVER forgetting 2020.”
A post shared by Dan O'Toole (@tsnotoole) on May 26, 2020 at 11:14am PDT
When he shared his plea for her safe return, he posted a similar photo of the child to Instagram and wrote that he was “praying that whoever has you, is holding you. That whoever has taken you from me, is protecting you. That whoever has you, lets you come back into my arms.”
He also noted that his “amazing ex-wife Corrie has NOTHING to do with this. Please leave her alone.”
He’s a dad of three
O’Toole is also dad to daughters Sydney, 12, and Ruby, 9, with ex-wife Corrie. The proud father frequently shares photos and videos of his girls to Instagram.
“I get to be their dad, no other gifts needed,” he wrote on Father’s Day in 2017 alongside a photo of the trio at the beach.
Ethan Miller/Getty Dan O'Toole
He’s a familiar face on Canadian TV
O’Toole rose to fame as the co-host of TSN’s SportsCentre from 2003 to 2013, alongside Jay Onrait.
“Over the duo’s decade-long run, the pair became known for their humorous take on sports news and highlights, and their SportsCentre broadcasts evolved into a pop culture phenomenon in Canada with a dedicated and passionate fan based,” O’Toole’s TSN biography says.
The pair left the popular Canadian sports channel in 2013 to co-host Fox Sports Live on Fox Sports 1 in the U.S., but returned to TSN in 2017.
Since then, they’ve hosted TSN’s flagship sports news and entertainment show, SC with Jay and Dan, which airs live at midnight on weekdays.
He and Onrait also host a weekly podcast together and have covered the 2012 Olympic Games in London and the 2010 Olympic Winder Games in Vancouver.
