Al Roker says his family shielded him from learning how “serious” his health problems were

“I was one of those people where friends or work colleagues would come over and talk about their grandchildren and show pictures and I’d think, ‘Blah, blah, blah. Nobody’s kid is that great,'” he joked. “I’m that guy now. And you know what? I don’t care! I’m going to bore you, and I’m going to pull out the pictures, and I’m going to tell you every incredible thing she’s done in the last week.”

“You meet this little person and you immediately fall in love,” he continued. “This has happened with each of my children, but even more so with your grandchild, at least with me. It’s like, ‘Oh my God. Where have you been all my life?’ Someone told me, “If I had known they were so great, I would have had them first.” And it’s true.

It has been almost two years since Roker experienced a major health crisis when he was hospitalized with blood clots and bleeding ulcers in late 2022. He said he’s “doing well” these days and feels “very blessed.” The experience changed his perspective on things and gave him a greater appreciation for the “grace and kindness of strangers.”

Roker didn’t look too far into the future and was excited about the upcoming Halloween episode of the “Today” show. “I still don’t know what we’re doing,” he said. “I’m sure someone told me that, but that’s the great thing about being 70: Everything is new.”