Al Roker says he ‘wouldn’t be alive’ without wife Deborah Roberts following health scare
The NBC weather anchor was rushed to hospital last year with blood clots in his legs and lungs
Your support helps us to tell the story
From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.
At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.
The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.
Your support makes all the difference.Al Roker has opened up about how his wife, Deborah Roberts, has supported him as he experienced health difficulties.
In a new interview, the NBC anchor, 68, said that he wouldn’t be alive if it wasn’t for Roberts, 62.
The Today show weatherman was absent from his role for several days in November last year after he was rushed to hospital with blood clots in his legs and lungs.
In a new interview, Roker to PageSix that he was “just so overwhelmed by the outpouring of love and prayers and of course, my wife Deborah”.
He added: “I wouldn’t be alive without her.”
“I guess I know it now,” he confessed. “I didn’t know it at the time. Deborah was great at keeping all that away from me so I thought I was doing OK but that was great because I was able to focus on getting better.”
Roker and Roberts wed in 1995, after Roker split from ex-wife Alice Bell in 1994.
The weather anchor has three children, Courtney, 35, whom he shares with Bell, as well as his two children Leila, 24, and Nick, 20, who he shares with Roberts.
Explaining his illness, Roker revealed he “lost half my blood”, recalling he recalled of his hospitalization and internal bleeding, joking that he “went in for one operation [and] got four free.”
After fans expressed concern for his health, Roker revealed what had actually happened to him in an Instagram caption posted in November, in which he explained his absence from the show.
“So many of you have been thoughtfully asking where I’ve been. Last week I was admitted to the hospital with a blood clot in my leg which sent some clots into my lungs,” he wrote.
“After some medical whack-a-mole, I am so fortunate to be getting terrific medical care and on the way to recovery. Thanks for all the well wishes and prayers and hope to see you soon. Have a great weekend, everyone.”
In 2020, Roker announced that he had been diagnosed with an “aggressive form” prostate cancer.
He underwent the surgery in November 2020, and in January 2021 he received the good news that his cancer was “considered undetectable”.
Join our commenting forum
Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies
Comments