The popular Today program weatherman talks about his health challenges and how his wife, senior national affairs journalist for ABC News Deborah Roberts, helped them get through them.
Deborah Roberts, Al Roker’s wife of 27 years, claims she is savoring their intimate times now that he has recovered from a terrifying health crisis that nearly claimed his life.
The paperweight that wrote, “Learn to enjoy the beauty of an everyday day,” was a Christmas gift from someone, says Roberts, an ABC News senior national affairs journalist and contributing anchor for 20/20. And I believe that is what we are learning, how to find beauty in the mundane.
The renowned Today show weatherman and his family’s past two months have been anything but typical.
Roker spent about two weeks at a time in the hospital twice at New York-Presbyterian Hospital/Weill Cornell Medical Center beginning in early November, when he was first identified as having blood clots that had spread from his leg to his lungs.
Roker, 68, was previously diagnosed with prostate cancer in 2020, among other health difficulties. But Roberts was frightened since this most recent scare put him in danger of passing away.
Roberts, 62, speaks of his daughter Courtney, 35, from his first marriage, as well as his son Nick, 20, and says, “I was actually bracing myself to have a chat with the kids about the potential of losing their father.
Roker continues, “I’m fortunate to be alive.”
Early in November, when Roker woke up in the middle of the night with agonizing stomach aches, his problems started. Dr. Jahangir Rahman, his longstanding internist, examined him and performed a number of tests.
He was admitted to the hospital right away after scans revealed he had blood clots in his lungs that had come from his leg.
Roberts says, “It was terrifying. Even scarier was the discovery of internal bleeding in Roker’s belly by medical professionals.
The initial cause of the bleeding was unknown to doctors despite extensive testing, CT scans, and MRIs.
According to his gastroenterologist Dr. Felice Schnoll-Sussman, Director of the Jay Monahan Center for Gastrointestinal Health at New York-Presbyterian Hospital/Weill Cornell Medical Center, “In the first week, we had a parade of different experts” come see him.
She claims that “so many different things were happening [with him]”.
Roberts worked tirelessly as Roker’s representative with the medical staff so he could relax in addition to being there for him, encouraging him, and making sure he was comfortable and had all he needed.
She says, “I felt like all I could do was sort of be his voice, and fight for him.”
She claims that her task was to help him get through it. “It was tough. It’s quite difficult to witness someone you love so much in this condition of exhaustion. He was worn out.
After almost two weeks in the hospital, Roker was released to go home for Thanksgiving on the condition that he visit his internist the next morning and maintain regular contact with his healthcare providers.
A Difficult, Seven-Hour Surgery
The day after Thanksgiving, Roker was brought back to the hospital because he felt dizzy. The doctors opted to operate since he was displaying fresh bleeding symptoms in order to “definitively pinpoint the bleeding source,” according to Schnoll-Sussman.
One of Roker’s most terrifying experiences occurred just before his procedure. “‘Well, here we go,’ you’re thinking. I suppose I’ll run into everyone [afterward],” he says.
The nearly 7-hour surgery was agonizing for Roberts and the kids as they awaited word on how it went.
She explains, maintaining her composure in front of Roker, “I would go home and I would cry. I feared the worst.
An Always Positive Patient
Even Roberts, who is accustomed to Roker’s positivity, was taken aback by how upbeat he stayed throughout his struggle.
Roberts remarks, “I’m just gazing at his monitor, and I’m praying that his heart rate will stay strong, and his blood count will be good, and all of that, shortly after the operation. Then, alluding to a recipe he discovered in The New York Times, he declares, “I’m going to make this turkey for Christmas.”
She grins and says, “That’s when I knew he was going to be okay.” “That inspired his strong will and unbreakable spirit. It was lovely to see that in him. That, I believe, is what really amazed me.
“It was really a lovely thing to see you endure being a pin cushion, with the vampires coming for you every couple of hours to get more blood, and all of that,” she says, turning to Roker and grasping his hand in the Today show green room. Everyone else would have responded, “You know what? I am done. I’m out.’ ”
Without you, I wouldn’t be here, Roker says softly, turning to face Roberts. There is no doubt about that. Yet here we are, he continues.
You may live to repent it, he then jokes in typical Roker fashion.
In recovery
Hoda Kotb, Savannah Guthrie, Jenna Bush, and numerous other staff members and crew members visited Roker at his Manhattan brownstone after he was released from the hospital on December 9 and sang Christmas carols to him.
One of Roker’s favorite times of the year, Christmas, was one of the best treatments he could have ever received, claims Roberts.
She recalls, “I could sense the strength coming back.” “I saw the blood returning to his face.”
“He needed that boost of rejuvenation, which being around the family provided. Nick, Leila, and Courtney were present. He ran into his recently arrived sister. His brother frequently visited us here. I believe I just caught him breathing out.
Roker said of his future perspective, “It’s good. I appreciate it.
