Al Roker experienced a surprise visit from some very special Christmas carolers on Monday, which left him in tears.
The well-liked weatherman, 68, opened the doors of the Roker residence to find all of his Today colleagues outside, singing, hours after virtually appearing on the Today show, where he gave an update on how he is recovering after spending four weeks in the hospital receiving treatment for blood clots in his legs and lungs “They rewrote Jingle Bells and the particularly heartfelt “I’ll Be Home for Christmas” to become “Al Be Home for Christmas.”
A video of the tender moment from Wednesday was broadcast today. The NBC morning show replacement for Roker, meteorologist Dylan Dreyer, as well as anchors Savannah Guthrie, Hoda Kotb, Craig Melvin, Jenna Bush Hager, and Sheinelle Jones, all sang carols at the event.
Along with the TV stars, there were other Today producers, crew workers, security personnel, and more in the group. They were all dressed in Santa hats.
Guthrie teased on Thursday, “It was one of the most wonderful moments, for all of us.” “Everyone was crying. And seeing him was simply stunning and great.”
“Al is really attached to this location. It was sad to see us all just sing to him outside “Jones continued, “You could just feel the love all around the neighborhood,” adding Dryer.
Roker choked up as he stood at his front door with a cane, clearly feeling the affection.
After their opening song, Roker said, “I simply want to thank you all. “It’s been a long, arduous struggle, and I’ve really missed all of you. It means the world to me to see all these faces. Furthermore, you are all related. Please accept my sincere gratitude. I’m incredibly grateful for it.”
He joked, “I’m pleased you did that without a prompter “I suppose there is a new America’s Got Talent contestant. So that’s a plus for you.”
Deborah Roberts, his wife of 62 years, was also praised by Al, who called her “a rock.”
Al, we adore you so much, Kotb said to Roker. Every single individual was eager to sing to you and couldn’t wait to come out here.
Since 1996, Roker has served as Today’s primary weather anchor. Prior to that, from 1990 to 1995, Roker filled in as a replacement weathercaster for the late Willard Scott before his semiretirement.
Since his previous appearance on the Nov. 4 show, he has been missing from Today for several weeks. The weatherman was initially admitted to the hospital for treatment of blood clots in his leg and lungs. He was later discharged, but returned a few weeks later after Thanksgiving. As a result of this second visit, he was unable to attend the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade (his first in 27 years!) or the annual Christmas Tree Lighting at Rockefeller Center.
Roker announced on December 8 that he has left the hospital once more via Instagram. On the Today show on Monday, he claimed that his recuperation has been “a tremendous fight.”
I’ve had my fair number of operations, but this has been the worst one yet, he added. “But I feel powerful and good. I feel a little bit better every day.
Roker continued, “It makes you feel great gratitude for this outpouring of prayers and thanks. “I’m a really lucky person,” I said.
At home, Roker has been joined by his Roberts, daughters Courtney (35), and Leila (24), as well as other relatives. Son Nick, 20, “is going to come home from college very soon,” according to Roker, who also mentioned that his brother and sister-in-law have visited.
Roker responded that he needed a bit more time to recover and declined to say when he would return to Today full-time.
“For every week you spend in the hospital, you lose a certain amount of muscle mass, and I was there for four weeks. Thus, there is only a limited level of weakness “Roker stated that he receives daily physical and occupational therapy. “I simply need to regain my strength. I have to delay it since in the interim, I was considering replacing my knee in January. I therefore have a number of problems.”
Roker continues to be a regular contributor to Today in the interim, even though he isn’t physically present. The show’s taping location, 30 Rockefeller Plaza, has seen plenty of viewers carrying “Get Well” signs, and Today gave him a nice shout-out in their 2022 digital holiday card.
