Wednesday 8 November 2023

Al Roker Opens Up About His Near-Fatal Health Scare

Today Show host Al Roker offered an update about the frightening health crisis he experienced last year. In November 2022, Roker was admitted to the hospital after blood clots in his leg led to clotting in his lungs. The trial meant Roker was unable to host the Macy’s Thanksgiving Parade for the first time in decades, and left his spot on Today for several weeks. Before he returned, he endured a marathon seven-hour surgery to correct “a bunch of internal stuff.”

"Look, I had two complicating things," Roker shared upon his return to Today, per People. "I had blood clots, which they think came up after I had COVID in September. And then I had this internal bleeding going on, I lost half my blood. They were trying to figure out where it was."

In this week’s episode of Audible’s podcast Your Mama’s Kitchen, Roker sat down with host Michelle Norris to discuss his family’s holiday traditions. Because the 69-year-old’s medical episode occurred around Thanksgiving last year, and by his account “ruined” the holiday, talk eventually turned to his recovery.

“It’s no secret that I had a severe medical issue, and to be completely honest, I almost died. I didn’t know it at the time,” Roker admitted. He noted that his wife, ABC News correspondent Deborah Roberts, and daughter Leila “were really instrumental in keeping that [information] away from me so I could concentrate” on getting healthier.

Roker reflected that the experience gave him a “new appreciation” for the holidays and family traditions. “I missed Thanksgiving. I almost missed Christmas,” the father of three lamented. “I forgot how important those touchstone moments are.

“I felt, in a sense, badly because I ruined Thanksgiving for the family, and I was not going to let that happen for Christmas,” Roker continued. “It gave me something to push for, and I made Christmas dinner.”

The multi-hyphenate weathercaster, and shower aficionado, shared with Norris a rare lighthearted memory from the ordeal. Roker said the moment his wife realized he would pull through was after he came out of surgery and immediately wanted to discuss a recipe he planned to make for the holidays.

“And she said, ‘Okay, I think he’s gonna make it,’” Roker laughed. 

You can listen to Roker's full episode of Your Mama's Kitchen here.



from Men's Journal https://ift.tt/etUMQAu

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