by Cedric 'BIG CED' Thornton

January 9, 2023

‘Right Now I’m Running on Adrenaline’: Al Roker Returns to ‘Today Show’ Months After Health Scare

Lovable weatherman and TV personality Al Roker has returned to the NBC Today studio after a recent health scare.

Last week, Roker walked back on set, smiling as he was greeted by co-hosts Savannah Guthrie and Hoda Kotb.

“I have missed you guys so very much,” he stated to the pair. “You are my second family and it’s just great to be back — and wearing pants! It’s so much fun.”

It was the weatherman’s first appearance in the studio since being hospitalized in November. The 68-year-old returned weeks after he admitted to being in the hospital for blood clots in his legs and lungs. He was absent from the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade, and for the first time in 27 years, viewers didn’t see him and his cheeriness on the television screen.

“The countdown is finally over. Al is back in studio with us for the first time in more than two months!”

“My heart is just bursting,” he said. “I’m just so thrilled to see all of you and the crew. Right now I’m running on adrenaline.”

Roker was stricken with COVID-19 in September, and according to Today, he revealed he was dealing with “two complicating things” — blood clots that developed after he contracted the coronavirus and internal bleeding.

He was placed in an intensive care unit, particularly the surgical ICU, he stated.

In a recent segment, Roker’s gastroenterologist, Dr. Felice H. Schnoll-Sussman, spoke about his condition.

“(We) were extraordinarily concerned about Al. Extraordinarily concerned. He had a life-threatening experience. I mean, there’s just no doubt about that.”

Roker had surgery after the medical team responsible for his care discovered that he had two bleeding ulcers. They resectioned his colon, took out his gallbladder, and then had to redo his duodenum, part of the small intestine.

The surgery took seven hours to complete.

“I went into for one operation, I got four free,” Al joked. “I really do feel good. I’m sure I’m going to collapse like a stone after this is over because this is the first work I’ve done. “It’s been a journey.”

He does credit his wife, Deborah Roberts, for helping him through this.

“Thank God for Deborah. She basically shielded me from a lot of this. I had no idea how sick I was. I am a living example of ignorance is bliss. … I was able to put all my energy into just recuperating because I didn’t know how bad off I was.”


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