Al Roker has finally returned to the TODAY show! The meteorologist has been missing from the morning show for almost two months after being hospitalized for some serious health issues, and co-workers and fans were overjoyed to see him back at work!
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Savannah Guthrie Said ‘Today’ Show ‘Is Nothing’ Without Roker
Roker was hospitalized in November after blood clots in his legs spread to his lungs, causing him to be hospitalized. His health issues led to him missing major TODAY events like the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade, as well as the Rockefeller Christmas tree-lighting.
He made his return this morning, to the delight of his co-hosts. “To say we have missed you doesn’t even begin to describe it,” Savannah Guthrie told Roker. “It is nothing without you here.”
“The crew is weepy,” co-host Hoda Kotb jumped in. “The crowd outside, they’ve been waiting for you. They’ve been bummed every day we walk out there like, ‘Where is Al?’” Roker was equally emotional about his return.
Roker: ‘My Heart Is Just Bursting’
“I have missed you guys so very much,” he shared. “You are my second family and it’s just great to be back—and wearing pants! It’s so much fun. My heart is just bursting. I’m just so thrilled to see all of you and the crew. Right now I’m running on adrenaline.”
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Roker also talked about how adjusting to being back at work has been harder than he thought. He shared that it was “weird” to be doing the weather again, instead of watching fellow meteorologist Dylan Dreyer fill in for him.
He And Wife Deborah Discuss His Health
The anchor and his wife, Deborah, spoke more about his health issues in another TODAY segment. “Look, I had two complicating things,” he explained.
“I had blood clots, which they think came up after I had COVID in September. And then I had this internal bleeding going on, I lost half my blood.”
He continued, “They were trying to figure out where it was. And finally they went in, did the surgery and it ended up two bleeding ulcers, had to resection the colon, had to take out my gallbladder, redo my duodenum.”
“I went in for one operation, I got four free,” Roker teased, with his signature sense of humor. “So I got that going for me.”
Fans of the TODAY show were so excited to see Roker back on their screens and are happy his recovery process is going so well!