'Today' host Hoda Kotb's Father's Day post about missing deceased dad has fans sharing their stories too

Hoda Kotb showed her vulnerable side in Father's Day post on Instagram
PUBLISHED JUN 19, 2023
Hoda Kotb shared an old picture of her dad, AK Kotb, on Father's Day (Photo by Jamie McCarthy/Getty Images, Instagram/hodakotb)
Hoda Kotb shared an old picture of her dad, AK Kotb, on Father's Day (Photo by Jamie McCarthy/Getty Images, Instagram/hodakotb)

LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA: Hoda Kotb isn’t just a brilliant news anchor on the ‘Today’ show but is also a friend, mother, and daughter. This Father’s Day has been a joyous occasion for some, and an emotional one for others. While some celebrated this day with their fathers, others mourned the loss and remembered them, and one such person was Kotb. Kotb doesn’t shy away from sharing parts of her life with her fans, and this was one of those days.

Kotb took to Instagram to share an emotional Father’s Day post for her deceased father, AK Kotb, and, in turn, encouraged her fans to share their stories as well. Several grieving fans have taken to Kotb’s Instagram comments to talk about their experiences with this holiday. As much as everyone loves watching Kotb anchor on the ‘Today’ show, seeing her more vulnerable side has been a welcome change for her fans!

‘I miss my dad’

Kotb’s Instagram post was an old photograph of her father, along with the caption, “If you are missing your dad on father’s day.. you are not by yourself. Happy father’s day dad! The kids and I talked about you today❤️”  Kotb made sure that those reading her post did not feel like they were alone in this battle. One wrote, “I miss my dad every day. We lost him almost three years ago. I have a pic of mom and dad on my fridge (we lost mom almost 7 years ago) I say good morning and good night to them each day.” Another user commented, “1st Father’s Day without my dad, talking is good but boy is it tough.” Fans did not hold back from being emotional and vulnerable in the comment section. “I’m missing my dad a lot doesn’t go away even after 22 yrs feels like the first,” read one such comment.

Kotb made the space for people to be themselves, and its no wonder she is a fan favorite on ‘Today’ show. Another fan wrote, “So missing my dad. I have tears of sorrow and joy.” Fans continue detailing their experiences ranging from “I miss my dad so much it hurts. He was not only a GREAT DAD…but my BEST FRIEND,” to “Me too. 11 years and still hurts my heart something fierce, especially on this day.” Thanks to Kotb, several of her fans had an outlet to let out their emotions this Father’s Day!

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