Hoda Kotb says ‘strong’ daughter Hope is ‘getting better’ after IC scare

Hoda Kotb has spoken openly about the health and resilience of her four-year-old daughter Hope, two months after she battled an unknown illness in hospital.

Today’s co-anchor, 58, gave an update on her youngest child and the lesson she taught her on Tuesday’s episode of Southern Living’s Cookies & Jam podcast.

“My daughter Hope was worried for her health, but she’s getting better. But I guess I didn’t realize how much is already inside you when it comes to your power,” she told editor-in-chief Sid Evans.

“To see her go through a rough time at three years old is very hard for any parent because you are helpless. But I think you realize how incredibly resilient and strong she is.’

“My daughter Hope was worried for her health, but she’s getting better. But I guess I didn’t realize how much is already inside you when it comes to your strength,” she said

Kotb, who is also a mother to six-year-old Haley, explained that both of her “daughters are strong women already.”

“She teaches me, which is so funny,” she said of Hope. “We think we teach them. I feel like my mom raised me to be strong, and I did learn that.

“I mean, you learn through loss and through hard times. And I think sometimes you learn life lessons from the most amazing places.’

Kotb’s daughter was hospitalized in late February and spent several days in intensive care. The Today star missed two weeks of work while taking care of her.

During the podcast, the author recalled an inspiring conversation she had with Hope in the hospital that blew her away.

Hope said, “You know, I think God put me here to teach people things.” I said, “What? What? What?” She said, “Yeah, because my brain is pretty big, so I think I have to teach people things,” she explained on the podcast. “I said, ‘Honey, you’re going to teach people things.'”

Kotb said the unforgettable moment happened after midnight and she couldn’t believe the wise words that had come out of her little girl’s mouth.

“She blurts that out, I’m like, ‘Was that real? What just happened? Did she say that?'” she said, laughing. “It’s like, learn from our kids.

Today’s co-anchor, who also has a six-year-old daughter, Haley, missed two weeks of work while caring for Hope in the hospital. The little girl spent several days in ICU

Kotb remembered an inspiring conversation she had with Hope in the hospital that blew her away. “I think God put me here to teach people things,” her youngest daughter told her

“And we just have to model, we don’t have to learn anything,” she added. ‘Just be true to who you are. Be yourself, or be a better version of yourself. And then learn from them.’

Kotb’s absence from the Today show in February sparked concern from fans. After being off the air for more than a week, her co-star Craig Melvin assured viewers on March 1 that she was “OK,” but was dealing with a “family health issue.”

The mother opened up about Hope’s hospital stay when she returned to work 6 March. Prior to the episode, she had not been on the air since February 17.

“My youngest Hope was in ICU for a few days and then in the hospital for a little over a week,” she told her co-anchor Savannah Guthrie. “I’m so thankful she’s home, she’s home again. I waited for that day to come. And we keep a close eye on her. I’m so happy.

“And you know what I also realized, Savannah? When your child is sick, how much gratitude can you have for people who helped you,” she continued.

“I’m thankful for the doctors at Weill Cornell who were amazing and the nurses and I’m thankful for my family and I’m thankful for friends like you who were there every day.

‘I want to thank you for that. I love you.’

Kotb, who hadn’t appeared on the air since Feb. 17, first opened up about Hope’s hospital stay with her co-anchor Savannah Guthrie when she returned to work on March 6.

“I’m thankful for the Weill Cornell doctors who were amazing and the nurses and I’m thankful for my family and I’m thankful for friends like you who were there every day,” she said.

Kotb also reflected on how her daughter’s health anxiety has given her a new perspective.

“I feel like life is one way on a Monday – and we all have our Mondays and we complain about them. We’re like, “Oh, what a lousy Monday,” and then Tuesday rolls around and something really hard comes along, and you realize Monday was actually pretty awesome,” Kotb told her co-host Jenna Bush Hager.

“So for us it was little Hope who had to go to the hospital, and she was in ICU for a few days and then in the hospital for another week and it was really scary. And she’s lively and brilliant.’

Kotb added that her youngest daughter has remained selfless and generous throughout her illness.

“She just got out of bed the other day, and she was so sweet and cute, and she wasn’t feeling very well,” the mother explained. She had two confetti stars in her hand.

And I looked at her, because I just got out of the shower, and I turned around, and she was sitting there. And she said, “I have two, Mom.”

And I said, “Oh my God.” She says, “One for me and one for you.” And I thought to myself, “This kid, even if she’s not feeling well, she [is] still giving everything away.”