Al Roker returned to the Today show on January 6 — two months after he was first hospitalized for blood clots. In a new interview, the anchor and Deborah Roberts, his wife and an ABC News correspondent, shared just how serious his “frightening†condition was. “It’s not lost on us that this is a major, major thing for Al to be here,†Roberts said. “He is a living, breathing miracle. He really is. And I have to say, I’m not overstating it — I don’t think — Al was a very, very, very sick man, and I think most people did not know that.†She noted that doctors needed some time to understand the full scope of her husband’s condition. “It was a team that had to figure out what was happening,†she said. “He was a medical mystery for a couple of weeks. And it was the most tumultuous, frightening journey we have ever been on.â€
Roker explained that doctors think his blood clots may have been a result of his bout with COVID in September. The blood clots, combined with internal bleeding, necessitated a major surgery. “They went in for one operation — I got four free,†Roker joked with his colleagues, appearing in good spirits. Roberts stayed positive during the entire journey (“What Deborah did the most for me was — I had no idea how bad off I was. I thought I was doing pretty good,†Roker said), but the entire family was “on pins and needles,†Roberts said. The longtime Today host knew he would be home for Christmas, though. “Al and I were sitting there one day in the hospital, and through this very scratchy voice — and he was so gonked and exhausted — and he said, ‘I’m going to make a spatchcock turkey for Christmas,’†Roberts recounted.
Roker is happy to be back on the air. “My heart is just bursting,†he told his co-anchors. “I’m just so thrilled to see all of you and the crew and everybody. Right now, I’m running on adrenaline. I’m just thrilled to be here.â€