Al Roker honors his bus driver dad Albert Lincoln Roker Sr and reflects on their special bond: 'Two-way street of pride'
NEW YORK CITY, NEW YORK: Al Roker is all praise for his late father Albert Lincoln Roker Sr. The well-known weatherman opened up about his father during an emotional interview for 'Today's pre-Father’s Day segment. On Tuesday, June 13, he honored the thousands of NYC bus operators who play key roles in transportation around the city. Roker stated that his father was associated with this profession for over two decades.
While being seated next to four bus operators from the Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA), the 68-year-old television personality remembers the sense of pride he felt when his father would let him tag along on the bus route. Roker recalled the memories he made with his father and the sense of pride he felt when his dad would let him tag along on the bus route. “When I was off from school, he’d take me on the bus with him and [at] the end of his run, we’d be in the parking lot and he’d let me steer the bus,” said Roker before adding “I’d literally sit on his lap, he let me steer the bus. There was this two-way street of pride. I was so proud to see my dad doing this and I think he was proud to see me see him doing that.”
'My dad was everything to me'
Even though modern buses are installed with amenities, such as air conditioning and USB porting, Rocker shared that he had a lot of fun in those buses which were operating during the 1950s and 60s. He added that at present those buses are maintained as a vintage fleet by the New York Transit Museum. Roker further revealed, "My dad was everything to me and my siblings. And we were so proud of him and he was proud of us." The weather forecaster gives credit to his father for shaping him as a loving parent, "I know for myself, I tend to put my dad a bit on a pedestal. He had his faults and all of his issues, but one of the things I always remember, and I try to do, is that he was my greatest advocate. And I try to be that for my kids."
'I just want more Fathers Days'
Each year during Father’s Day, Roker pays tribute to his late dad. A couple of years ago he wrote on social media regarding his feelings about his age, "Missing Albert Lincoln Roker, Sr I’m coming up on 66, and at the same age, he only had 2 more Father's Days left. I just want more Fathers Days," he told People.
