'I almost died': Today's Al Roker found out he was going to be a granddad while in hospital over health scare
NEW YORK CITY, NEW YORK: NBC’s ‘Today’ beloved meteorologist Al Roker recently appeared on ‘The Kelly Clarkson Show’ with his wife Deborah Roberts, and revealed he found out he will be going to be a grandad while he was struggling with a health scare in hospital.
The weatherman and ‘GMA’ host Roberts also spoke to Clarkson on Roker’s health crisis last year, sharing how their daughter, Courtney shared news of their first grandchild.
Besides discussing his health, Roker didn’t back out from playing a little banter on Kelly Clarkson’s show as well and he joked about using his crisis as a way to leave stuff around the house.
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Al Roker talks about being a granddad on ‘The Kelly Clarkson Show’
In a recent interview, Al Roker shared that he discovered he was going to be a grandfather while he was in the hospital last year amid his health troubles.
Roker and his wife, Deborah Roberts, appeared on ‘The Kelly Clarkson Show,’ where they discussed becoming first-time grandparents when Roker’s oldest daughter, Courtney Roker Laga, welcomed Sky Clara on July 3.
Reflecting on the news, Roker discussed how he first learned about his daughter's pregnancy during a challenging time in the hospital.
He told Clarkson, “Right about this time last year, I was in the hospital. I went in for one thing, end up having surgery for five. So it was buy one, get four free.”
Clarkson added, "Oh my God, that's scary!"
Roberts replied, "It was really a very scary time, Kelly. Al is wanting to look forward, not backwards, which is great, ever the optimist, but it was a very, very difficult time, and we are so blessed to have him in full form and just great."
Coming back to Roker, he revealed, “I found out while I was in the hospital that my oldest girl, Courtney, was expecting our first grandchild,” he said.
Roberts chimed in adding, “But I think more than anything else, knowing that she was coming this last year ... because it's been a progression, but you've just gotten stronger and stronger, so here he is."
Al Roker opens up about his health scare
In a recent revelation, Al Roker acknowledged that he came perilously close to death during a health crisis in 2022. Despite emerging without major complications, the experience prompted a profound realization.
Last November, Roker found himself hospitalized due to blood clots in his lungs and legs, a harrowing period that the well-known meteorologist openly discussed.
He disclosed in an exclusive clip from the podcast 'Your Mama’s Kitchen,' shared by People, "It’s no secret that I had a severe medical issue, and to be completely honest, I almost died."
At the time, he was unaware of the severity of his condition, as his family chose to keep that information from him to ensure a proper recovery.
However, this decision meant that Roker missed crucial time with family, “But I missed Thanksgiving, and almost missed Christmas.”
He had to return to the hospital on Thanksgiving night due to another emergency, highlighting the critical nature of these significant moments.
Roker admitted, “And I forgot how important those touchstone moments are,” emphasizing that the desire to spend holidays with his family became the motivation he needed to pull through.
Reflecting on the impact on his family, Roker expressed, “I felt, in a sense, badly because I ruined Thanksgiving for the family and I was not going to let that happen for Christmas.”
When podcast host Michelle Norris noted Roker’s self-criticism, he acknowledged it but emphasized, “I know. But it was important to me and gave me something to push for. And I made Christmas dinner.”