Hoda Kotb Takes Week Off From the 'Today' Show Following Daughter Hope's Health Scare
Hoda Kotb is enjoying some time with her family following her 3-year-old daughter, Hope's, recent health scare. The 58-year-old Today co-anchor is taking the week off from the NBC morning show.
On Tuesday morning, Kotb's co-anchor, Savannah Guthrie, announced at the top of the show that "Hoda's on vacation," with Craig Melvin filling in. Melvin also filled in on Monday and again on Wednesday.
People is reporting that the vacation coincides with the spring break schedule of Kotb's 6-year-old daughter, Haley. Jenna Bush Hager was also out, leading to the pair's segment, Today With Hoda & Jenna, to air pre-recorded episodes this week. Hager is mom to daughters Mila, 9, and Poppy, 7, as well as son Hal, 3.
It's been a difficult month for Kotb, who was noticeably absent from the Today show in late February and early March. She returned to the morning show on March 6, sharing that Hope had been hospitalized after several days in the intensive care unit (ICU).
"Little Hope had to go to the hospital and she was in the ICU for a few days and then in the hospital for another week and it was really scary," the mother of two shared at the time, without revealing what health scare had placed her daughter in the hospital. "She's vibrant and brilliant. She's home. She's home. She's home. I'm over the moon that she's home."
While Kotb has kept the details of her daughter's health private, she did give a message to parents of sick children at the time.
"For anyone who's ever gone through an illness with a child, boy, I thought I understood you, but I don't. I didn't," Kotb noted. "Until you're sitting in that position. For every single person who's going through some stuff, I get it."
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