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Hoda Kotb leaves 'Today' show midway to 'take my kids to school', returns later to finish episode

The 'Today' host was giving the highlights of the show when she shared that she had to take her daughters Hope, 4, and Haley, 6, to school

NEW YORK CITY, NEW YORK: 'Today' host Hoda Kotb left the show mid-way on Wednesday due to a 'family emergency' as she had to drop her kids off for their first day back at school.

Recently, Kotb shared that her younger daughter Hope was rushed to ICU, and is ‘on the mend.’

The 'Today' host was giving the highlights of the show as to what would follow, when she suddenly shared that she had to take her daughters Hope, 4, and Haley, 6, to school.

“'I'm taking my kids to school!" Kotb exclaimed, before jumping to her feet and asking, "Ok, can I leave right now?" to her co-hosts.

Did Hota Kotb return back for the show?

"Yes give them a hug for us," Guthrie replied as other presenters looked amused, including Craig Melvin, and Al Roker, “Byeee! See ya later!”

Kotb returned to the studio around 10 am and gave details of the milestone day to her co-host Jenna Bush Hager.

“I was so excited. I left the set at 7:30. I live about 20 minutes from 30 Rock, so I zipped home, got my kids their backpacks,” shared Kotb.

“They were all ready. They were bursting. Haley is going into first [grade] and Hope into pre-K and they go to the same school. Haley went sprinting off with her friends. It was like, 'bye!' We were like, 'Okay, have a great day.' She was gone, dust!” she continued.

Kotb then talked specifically about her younger daughter, “Hope was great. She started playing with some people and they do a phase-in. She stayed about an hour.”

Kotb also updated her Instagram page, as she shared pictures of her girls with Dr Suess's quote, reports DailyMail.

“You're off to great places, today is your day! Your mountain is waiting, so get on your way!' she captioned.

Why was Hope kept in ICU?

Hope was hospitalized for an undisclosed illness in February. “It just reminds me — and she just reminds me — that hope is all around every corner. No matter what you go through, no matter what hardship you endure, there she is,” she then told Today.com.

"My daughter Hope is so inspiring to me. She's a little child but with a real kind of old spirit, an old soul. There's something about her in how she sees magic in everything," Kotb said, revealing that her daughter learned cycling without training wheels.