Al Roker has been seen in public for the first time since he had serious health problems late last year.
The Today Show weatherman looked healthy while walking in the rain in New York City while wearing casual attire that included a blue jacket, gray pants, navy blue tennis shoes and a lime green beanie.
In just two days, the 68-year-old is expected to return to his morning TV show to resume his job.
A jump in his crotch: Al Roker has been seen in public for the first time since struggling with serious health problems late last year
The sighting comes as Savannah Guthrie told Entertainment Tonight on Wednesday that she was excited to see Roker returning to set on Friday after an eight-week absence.
“Back and better than ever,” Guthrie told ET’s Rachel Stern on the New York Stock Exchange.
“Al is the lifeblood of this show, he is the heartbeat. I mean, you just can’t do it without Al.
“We love him so much, we miss him so much. He’s been through this difficult time, and he’s done it in his signature way, where he’s always smiling, always upbeat, and he’s roaring to come back. He is ready.’
Ready for action: The Today Show weatherman looked healthy as he walked in the rain in New York City while wearing casual attire that included a blue jacket, gray pants, navy tennis shoes and a lime green beanie
On Tuesday, Guthrie and Hoda Kotb shared the news of his upcoming return during the morning show.
“He’s obviously been in the hospital, he’s been dealing with some health issues, he’s been home for the past few weeks,” Guthrie explained, before revealing, “We have some great news to share this morning, Al is coming back to the show.”
Kotb then chimed in, “It was like, ‘When? When?’ Well we have our day, it’ll be here Friday, it’ll be right here in Studio 1A. This is his place, he will be in his place, right where he belongs. I can’t wait, can you believe it?’
Roker spent two months without air after being hospitalized with blood clots in his lungs and legs.
Work in two days: In just two days, the 68-year-old is set to return to his morning TV show to resume his job
He left the morning show in November.
At the time, the weatherman took to Instagram to share a health update with Today fans, explaining that he “had been taken to the hospital with a blood clot in my leg that was sending some clots to my lungs.”
“After some medical strokes, I am so fortunate to be receiving excellent medical care and on the road to recovery,” he said. ‘Thank you for all the well wishes and prayers and hope to see you soon.’
Roker was originally released from the hospital on Thanksgiving, but had to be brought back a day later due to “complications.”
After spending a total of four weeks in the hospital, he went home on December 8 and returned virtually to the Today Show four days later.
Happy He’s Returning: This sighting comes just as Savannah Guthrie told Entertainment Tonight on Wednesday that she was excited for Roker to return. “Back and better than ever,” Guthrie told ET while on the New York Stock Exchange; seen right with Hoda Kotb
They can’t wait for his return: Roker’s upcoming return to the Today Show was announced by his co-hosts on Tuesday; Guthrie and Kotb seen on the show
During the performance, which was broadcast from the kitchen of his New York City apartment, he said he’s getting stronger every day while sharing an important update on his health.
“There is a certain weakness. I do physical therapy and occupational therapy every day. I need to get my strength back,’ he said.
“But I feel good. i feel strong Every day is a little bit better than the last and last night I had dinner.
“I just have a feeling there will be a little drudgery. But there are people who have to do a lot more with far fewer resources. I am very fortunate and very blessed to have the resources.
The longtime Today star’s medical emergency comes over two years after he was diagnosed with prostate cancer in September 2020.
Hello from the hospital: The weatherman was first hospitalized in November after being diagnosed with a blood clot in his leg, which then traveled to his lungs
The Today star has shared several updates on his health over the past two months, and he even made a virtual appearance on the morning show following his second discharge from hospital
At the time, a routine physical exam revealed that he had elevated prostate-specific antigen (PSA), which is a screening tool for early detection.
A biopsy later confirmed he had a more aggressive form of the disease, but because it was caught early it was easily removed through surgery.
The Today Show star went public with his diagnosis on the show on November 6, 2020, three days before he underwent five-hour surgery.
A week later, he received a pathology report stating that there was no evidence of cancer in his body outside of his prostate, which he had surgically removed along with the surrounding lymph nodes.
The father-of-three shared his gratitude for “another Christmas with his family” after going through the health crisis
Roker was released from the hospital in time to spend Christmas and New Year’s at home in New York with wife Deborah Roberts (pictured) and their three children
In December, he made his second appearance on the Today Show when his friends and co-hosts showed up at his house to surprise him with a celebratory Christmas performance that brought him to tears.
And he seemed to be enjoying Christmas with his family.
Roker shared photos on social media as he spent Christmas and the New Year with his wife Deborah Roberts, 62, and their three children.
“So grateful to have had another Christmas and to be with my family,” he wrote.
In addition to presenters Hoda Kotb, Jenna Bush Hager, Savannah Guthrie, Dylan Dreyer, Sheinelle Jones and Craig Melvin, the entire crew working on the show was also in attendance
“We make assumptions and plans and they can [be] turned upside down in no time. You think you are grateful and you show gratitude.
“And then suddenly you realize that the depth of those words is so much deeper. I can never thank you enough for all of you who have prayed for us.’
In a series of posts, the news anchor gave his followers a glimpse of his Christmas parties, which he spent with his 62-year-old wife Deborah Roberts and their three children — Courtney, 35, Leila, 24, and Nicholas , 20 — as well as Courtney’s husband Wesley Lago, 32.
Insight into Al Roker’s terrifying health scare: what is a blood clot and how are they caused?
Deep vein thrombosis (DVT) occurs when a blood clot forms in one of the deep veins in your body, usually in the leg.
Symptoms of DVT include swelling, usually in the affected limb, leg pain or tenderness often described as cramps, reddish or bluish discoloration of the skin, and warm skin.
Blood clots can break off a DVT and travel to the lungs, causing a pulmonary embolism (PE), which can be fatal. The signs and symptoms of PE are sudden shortness of breath, sharp chest pain, rapid heartbeat, and an unexplained cough, sometimes with bloody phlegm.
Blood-thinning medications are primarily used to prevent and treat blood clots. Other procedures, including surgery, implantable devices, or other medications, may be needed.
Some of the most common risk factors for blood clots are:
- Hospitalization due to illness or surgery
- Big operation
- severe trauma
- Injury to a vein from a broken bone or muscle injury
- Birth control methods or hormone therapy that contain estrogen
- pregnancy
- obesity
- A family story
- sitting for a long time
Source: National Blood Clot Alliance