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Al Roker surprised by “Today” after a health crisis: discover the sweet moment

December 14, 2022

Al Roker feels even more loved after receiving a Christmas surprise from his ‘Today’ castmates while at home recovering from a medical condition.

The longtime “Today” meteorologist, 68, has been absent from duty for the past month after several hospital stays with medical complications. Roker had blood clots that traveled to his lungs.

He returned home last week and made his first appearance on the show virtually Monday, but has yet to return to work. So Roker’s colleagues decided to bring her some holiday cheer.

“When the Rockefeller tree was lit in December, it felt like it was missing its brightest star: our very own Al Roker,” co-host Savannah Guthrie said in a segment that aired Wednesday. “Throughout his month-long hospital stay, we all waited for the day when we could wrap our arms around our sunshine. Well, we couldn’t wait any longer.

Previously:Al Roker hospitalized again due to ‘certain complications’ after recovering from blood clot

Roker’s wife, Deborah Roberts, served as a “secret accomplice” for the “Today” show crew as they tried to surprise their colleague. Dozens, including Guthrie, Hoda Kotb, Jenna Bush Hager, Craig Melvin, Sheinelle Jones, Dylan Dreyer and the show’s staff 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” which replaced “I’ll” with “Al”.

Roker, casually dressed 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 teleprompter,” he joked. “I just want to thank you all. It’s been a long and hard job and I’ve missed you so much. All those faces – it just means the world to me and to our family. Deborah has just been my rock and I just Thanks a lot.”

“We love you so much, Al,” Kotb told him. “Everyone was eager to come out and sing for you.”

After:Al Roker makes first TV appearance since hospitalization: ‘Every day I feel a little better’

During her live appearance on “Today” Wednesday morning, Kotb said she had never seen Roker in the emotional state he was in when they surprised him.

“I think he’s 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 seeing and knowing how much he’s loved – it meant so much to us too.”

On Monday, Roker, sporting a salt-and-pepper mustache, connected virtually with his “Today” colleagues from his kitchen to talk about his hospital stay and when he might 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 was undergoing physical and occupational therapy for help him 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 hosting Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade on Nov. 24, making it his first absence for the staple event in 26 years. NBC meteorologist Dreyer replaced him.

Blood clots, or deep vein thrombosis, usually occur in the leg but can also develop in the arm, according to Johns Hopkins Medicine. “Part of the clot, called an embolism, can break off and travel to the lungs,” which can cut off blood flow to the lungs.

Roker has served on the “Today” show’s weather desk since 1996 and has been transparent about medical issues in the past.

In 2020, Roker went public with his prostate cancer diagnosis to shed light on the number of men diagnosed with the disease.

Contributors: Elise Brisco, Amy Haneline, Cydney Henderson and Morgan Hines