Hoda Kotb tearfully revealed that her three-year-old daughter, Hope Catherine, spent several days in ICU battling a “health issue” as the Today presenter made an emotional return to the morning show after a two-week absence.
The 58-year-old, who has not appeared on the Today show since February 17, spoke about her daughter’s illness, telling her co-host Savannah Guthrie: “My youngest hope was in ICU for a few days and then at the hospital”. for just over a week.
I’m so thankful that she’s home, she’s back home. She was waiting for her to arrive that day. And we are watching it closely. I’m so happy.
Hoda then broke into tears as she paid tribute to all the doctors and medical staff who cared for her daughter, before thanking her family and friends for all their support during the difficult times.
Hoda Kotb made an emotional return to the Today show this morning when she revealed that her youngest daughter Hope, three, has been in ICU battling a “health issue”.
The Today presenter broke down in tears as she paid tribute to the doctors and nurses who cared for her daughter (left), revealing that her little girl spent “just over a week” in hospital.
Hoda, 58, who also has a six-year-old daughter, Haley (right), did not reveal what illness her daughter had been battling.
‘And you know what I realized too? When your child is sick, the amount of gratitude that he can have for the people who have helped him,” she explained.
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 say thank you for that. I love you.’
Hoda’s return to the morning show comes more than two weeks after her last studio appearance, an absence that caused great concern among viewers until her co-host, Craig Melvin, revealed on Wednesday that he had been dealing with a ” family health issue.
Many of you have been wondering how [Hoda] is doing. We can tell you that Hoda is fine. He has a family health issue that he has been dealing with,” Craig Melvin said.
Melvin, who was joined by Sheinelle Jones and Al Roker, did not share any other information about the health issue or who was affected.
Hoda, who is also a mother to six-year-old daughter Haley Joy, first revealed that she had adopted Hope in April 2019, when she shared the joyous news about her growing family on Today.
‘It’s a girl!’ the host told his co-hosts as he appeared on the show via video link.
‘Oh my gosh guys, well first of all, she’s lying on the pillow right now, and I’m feeding her, and I can’t believe it!’ she continued, as Savannah and Jenna Bush Hager dabbed at their eyes with tissues.
She praised her family and friends who have supported her through this difficult time, choking up as she thanked co-anchor Savannah Guthrie for “being there every day.”
“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,” Hoda said.
“In your life you think maybe you got what you deserve, but man I’m so happy she’s here,” Hoda continued through tears.
The mother of two adopted her first daughter, Haley Joy, two years earlier, in February 2017.
Hoda was seen for the first time in public since leaving the morning show last week, when she was photographed picking up Haley Joy from school in New York City.
The mother-of-two was bundled up in a cozy white coat and beanie as she walked with her eldest son, who happily rode his purple scooter alongside her.
Hoda was dressed casually in skinny black pants and black platform ankle boots for the afternoon school run. Instead of a bag, she carried a backpack slung over her shoulders and Haley’s cherry red LL Bean school bag in her hand.
The mother held a plastic sandwich bag full of Goldfish crackers and sweetly handed them out to Haley as she glided down the sidewalk.
The girl looked adorable in a light gray North Face coat, star-print pants and black high-top sneakers with velcro straps. She was also wearing her signature red goggles and a colorful headpiece that featured rainbows and stars.
Before Hoda picked Haley up, she was seen taking a phone call while walking. She was wearing a cream colored knit hat and glasses, which she is rarely seen wearing.
She later changed her hat to a playful gray one with a pom pom on top that had “Chow Time” written across the front in white letters.
Last week, Hoda was seen picking up her six-year-old daughter Haley from school, marking the first time she’s been seen in public since taking a break from the show.
The mother-of-two strolled with her eldest daughter, who was riding a purple scooter.
Hoda’s last on-air appearance was on February 17, although she appeared on a pre-recorded episode of Today with Hoda and Jenna, along with her co-host, on February 20.
People were also quick to notice that she didn’t release an episode of her weekly podcast, Making Space.
The mother-of-two continued to post inspirational quotes on her Instagram account during her absence, including one from Superman star Christopher Reeve that read: “Once you choose hope, anything is possible.”
Last week he shared a similar post that read: “One day you will see how brave you have been.”
He then shared another post that read: “There are dark clouds,” the boy said. “Yes, but they will go on,” said the horse. “The blue sky above never leaves.”
A third message Hoda posted last weekend read: ‘This is for strong women. That we know them, that we be them, that we raise them.’
She also shared a drawing of a sky with clouds that read, ‘Choose hope,’ which she captioned with two heart emojis.
The Today star regularly shares inspirational quotes on her feed and has posted a collection of her favorites in her books I Really Needed This Today and This Just Speaks to Me.
The past year has been a period of adjustment for Hoda, who split from her fiancé, Joel Schiffman, in January 2022 after eight years together.
He announced on the show that they were going their separate ways, explaining that they decided they were “better as friends and parents than as an engaged couple.”
Hoda last appeared on the Today show on February 17 when she interviewed the widower and daughter of Olivia Newton-John (pictured)
The Today host didn’t have the easiest year last year, as he split from his partner and fiancé, Joel Schiffman (seen in 2019), in January 2022, after nearly a decade together.
Hoda insisted at the time that there was no bad blood between them and that they continue to raise their daughters together.
“Joel and I have had many prayers and meaningful conversations over the holidays, and we decided that we are better as friends and parents than as an engaged couple,” she said at the time.
So we decided that we are going to start this new year on our new path as loving parents of our adorable and lovely children and as friends. It’s not like anything happened. They say that sometimes relationships are meant to be there for a reason, a season, or a lifetime. This was for one season.
Hoda opened up about their breakup after Bush Hager pointed out that she wasn’t wearing her engagement ring.
she admitted it she felt “weird and uncomfortable” talking about it publicly, but added that she wanted to focus on the “happy times” they had together.
“Many women know what it feels like to change the course of life. I feel like I can actually breathe right now, which is a weird feeling to feel.” Sometimes in your life, you have to tell the truth,’ she shared.
Prior to the couple’s separation, Hoda was candid about her desire to one day adopt a third child; however, she revealed in July 2021 that her plans to expand her brood had been delayed due to the pandemic.
“You know the funny thing about the adoption stuff that’s happening right now, apparently it’s very slow during this time, during COVID,” he said during an appearance on Watch What Happens Live, before admitting: “I thought it would be a different game.”
Hoda went on to explain that her adoption agency had told her and Joel that the pandemic has led many people who would normally want to give up their babies to ‘hold on’ to them.