Al Roker is feeling even more loved after receiving a Christmas surprise from his “Today” co-stars while he is at home recovering from a health issue.
The long-time “Today” meteorologist, 68, was absent from work last month after stints in the hospital with medical complications. Roker experienced blood clots that traveled to his lungs.
He came home last week and made his first appearance on the show practically on Monday, but he still hasn’t returned to work. So Roker’s colleagues decided to bring him some joy.
“When the Rockefeller Tree was lit in December, it felt like it was losing its brightest star: our very own Al Roker,” co-host Savannah Guthrie said in a segment that aired on Wednesday. “Throughout her month-long stay, we all looked forward to the day we could embrace our sunshine. And, well, we couldn’t wait any longer.”
Previously:Al Roker hospitalized again for ‘some complications’ after recovery from blood clot
Roker’s wife, Deborah Roberts, served as a “secret accomplice” to the “Today” show team as they tried to surprise their co-worker. Dozens, including Guthrie, Hoda Kotb, Jenna Bush Hager, Craig Melvin, Sheinelle Jones, Dylan Dreyer and the show’s crew and crew, donned red Santa hats and stood outside Roker’s door as they sang “Jingle Bells ” and a version of “I’ll Be Home For Christmas” that swapped “I’ll” for “Al”.
Roker, dressed casually in a sweatshirt from his alma mater, SUNY Oswego, was moved to tears. But he didn’t miss a beat.
“I’m impressed you did this without a prompter,” he joked. “I just want to say thank you to all of you. It’s been a long, hard, hard job and I’ve missed you all so much. All these faces – they mean the world to me and our family. Deborah has just been my rock and I’ve just been so very thanks.”
“We love you so much, Al,” Kotb told him. “Each person couldn’t wait to come out and sing for you.”
Most:Al Roker makes first TV appearance since hospitalization: ‘Every day I feel a little better’
Appearing live on “Today” on Wednesday morning, Kotb reflected that he had never seen Roker in the emotional state he was in when he was surprised.
“I think he realized – he knows he’s loved, but I think sometimes you have to know how much,” she said.
Guthrie added, “It’s tough. Boy, what he’s been through is so tough and to see and know how much he’s loved – that meant a lot to us too.”
On Monday, Roker, rocking a gray mustache, caught up virtually with his “Today” colleagues from his kitchen to talk about his hospitalization and when he might be able to return to the show.
“You lose a certain amount of muscle mass every week you’re in the hospital. I was in the hospital for four weeks,” he said, noting that he’s been undergoing physical and occupational therapy to help regain his strength.
But, he added, he feels good. “I feel strong and every day I feel a little better.”
Roker’s medical scare caused him to miss the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade on November 24, making it his first absence from the staple event in 26 years. NBC meteorologist Dreyer replaced him.
Blood clots, or deep vein thrombosis, usually occur in the leg, but they can also develop in the arm, according to Johns Hopkins Medicine. “Part of the clot, called an embolus, can break off and travel to the lungs,” which can cut off blood flow to the lungs.
Roker has sat on the “Today” show since 1996 and has been transparent about medical issues in the past.
In 2020, Roker went public with his prostate cancer diagnosis to highlight the number of men diagnosed with the disease.
Contributing: Elise Brisco, Amy Haneline, Cydney Henderson, and Morgan Hines
