Hours after virtually appearing ontheTodayshow— where he gave an update on how he is recovering after spending four weeks in the hospital for being treated forblood clots in his legs and lungs— the beloved weatherman, 68, opened the doors of the Roker residence to find all of hisTodaycolleagues outside, singing “Jingle Bells” and the especially poignant “I’ll Be Home for Christmas,” which they rewrote as “Al Be Home for Christmas.'
Todayaired footage of the sweet moment on Wednesday. Among the carolers were anchorsSavannah Guthrie,Hoda Kotb,Craig Melvin,Jenna Bush HagerandSheinelle Jones, as well as meteorologistDylan Dreyer, who has been filling in for Roker amid his absence from the NBC morning show.
Nathan Congleton/Today
There were also producers fromToday, crew staffers, members from the security team, and more among the bunch — all who wore Santa hats, alongside the televised personalities.
“It was one of the most heartwarming moments, for all of us,” Guthrie said in a tease on Thursday. “Everybody was in tears. And it was just beautiful and so wonderful to see him.”
“This place means so much to Al. To have us all just go out there and serenade him was emotional,” added Dryer, Jones noting how “you could just feel the love all over the block.”
Roker certainly felt the love, choking up as he stood with a cane at his front door.
“I just want to thank you all,” Roker said after their first song wrapped. “It’s been a long, hard slog and I’ve missed you all very much. Seeing all these faces, just means the world to me. And you are all family. … I just thank you all so much. I really appreciate it.”
“I’m impressed you did that without a prompter,” he teased, joking, “I guess we have a new contestant forAmerica’s Got Talent. So you got that going for you.”
He also gave praise to wife Deborah Roberts, 62, who Al said has been “a rock.”
“We love you so much, Al,” Kotb told Roker. “Every single person couldn’t wait to come out here and sing to you.”
Al Roker and his Today colleagues.Nathan Congleton/Today
Roker has been a staple onTodayas the program’s premiere weather anchor since 1996, and previously made appearances as a substitute weathercaster from 1990 to 1995, filling in for the lateWillard Scottbefore his semiretirement.
He has been absent fromTodayfor several weeks, last appearing on the Nov. 4 broadcast. The weatherman was first hospitalized for blood clots in his leg and lungs, released weeks later and then returned to the facility after Thanksgiving — a visit that caused him to miss theMacy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade(his first in 27 years!) andthe annual Christmas Tree Lightingat Rockefeller Center.
On Dec. 8, Roker shared via Instagram that he was out of the hospital once again. He said on Monday’s episode ofTodaythat recovery has been “a tough slog.”
“This has been the hardest one yet — and you know, I’ve had my fair share of surgeries,” he said. “But I feel good, I feel strong. And every day, I feel al little bit better.'
“It gives you a profound sense of gratitude for this outpouring of prayers and thanks,” added Roker. “I’m a very fortunate person.”
As for when he’ll be back atTodayfull time, Roker explained he needed a little more time to recover.
“You lose a certain amount of muscle mass for every week you’re in the hospital, and I was in the hospital for 4 weeks. So it’s just a certain amount of weakness,” Roker said, adding he’s doing physical and occupational therapy every day. “I’ve got to just get my strength back. And in the meantime, I was thinking in January of getting my knee replaced, so I’ve got to push that back. So I’ve got a number of issues.”
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In the meantime, Roker remains a constant presence onToday, even while not there in the flesh. Viewers flocking 30 Rockefeller Plaza, where the show is tapped, have frequently been seen with “Get Well” posters, whileTodayincludeda sweet shout-out to him in their 2022 digital holiday card.
Todayairs weekdays (beginning at 7 a.m. ET) on NBC.
source: people.com
