“Today” show co-anchor Hoda Kotb returned to her post on Monday, explaining her extended absence due to her daughter being hospitalized.
“My youngest, Hope, was in the ICU for a couple of days and in the hospital for a little over a week,” Kotb said Monday after a week’s absence. “I’m so thankful she’s home. She’s home again. I was waiting for that day to come. And we’re watching over her. I’m just so happy.”
Kotb, who will become co-anchor of NBC’s flagship morning show in late 2017, emotionally thanked everyone for their support throughout the family’s ordeal, and also thanked the medical professionals who cared for her 3-year-old daughter.
“I’m thankful for the doctors at Weill Cornell, who were amazing, and the nurses. And I’m thankful for my family, and I’m thankful for friends like you who were there every single day,” said the 58-year-old anchor and specifically mentioned Guthrie’s support. “So I want to say thank you for that. I love you.”
Guthrie was also absent from her morning show duties recently when she had to leave the anchor desk mid-broadcast on February 28 after testing positive for COVID-19.
Longtime “Today” weatherman Al Roker returned to the morning show earlier this year after a health scare in which blood clotting complications hospitalized him several times late last year.