Deborah Roberts and Al Roker on Today on Jan. 6, 2023.Photo: Nathan Congleton/NBC/Getty
Al Roker’s wife is getting candid about taking care of the belovedTodayshow weatherman during her recent life-threatening health crisis.
Deborah Roberts — Roker’s wife of 27 years — recently spoke toEntertainment Tonightabout her experience being his caregiver during his hospitalization and recovery from amajor 7-hour surgery.
“I think a lot of people don’t realize that — and I never realized that — that being a caregiver is really taxing, exhausting, frightening, all of those things and I never went through anything like this,” she told the outlet. “And I hope I’ll never do it again.”
“But it’s tough,” the 62-year-old continued. “It’s tough. I’m still kind of, I think, recuperating. I’m still kind of tired. I’m still mentally exhausted, but you know what, I’m grateful and just trying to just bask in the moment and just be happy that he’s well, and we’re all well.”
Roberts, anABC News’senior national affairs correspondent and contributing anchor for 20/20, then joked that she knows Roker, 68, is doing well because he’s “back to driving me crazy.” She admitted that during the difficult time, she’s grateful that she could lean on her loved ones.
Al Roker in the hospital in December.Courtesy Al Roker
“I would say my faith, my spirituality got me through it,” she said. “My family got me through it, my colleagues got me through it. Colleagues, many of whom are here today, lifted me up in times when I felt like I just couldn’t make it. People were there and texting and emailing and calling, and that made all the difference.”
Roker faced other health issues in the past, including a 2020 prostate cancer diagnosis. But the latest scare brought him close to dying, which terrified Roberts, she told PEOPLE in January.
“I was truly bracing myself to have a talk with the kids about the possibility of losing their father,” said Roberts about their daughter Leila, 24, and son Nick, 20, as well as his daughter Courtney, 35, from his first marriage.
Roker added, “I’m blessed to be alive.”
Looking at Roberts, Roker added, “Without you, I would not be here. There’s no question about that. But here we are.”
source: people.com
