Al Roker Proclaims: 'I'm A Very Fortunate Person,' After Return From Hospital

The legendary Al Roker is back on his feet, with gratitude, after being out of action for an entire month.

It was revealed in November 2022 that Roker was hospitalized for blood clots in his lungs, resulting in his undergoing surgery. All the same, he got discharged on Thanksgiving and was recently interviewed on the "Today" show, where he thanked his supporters for their love and dished his experience trying to regain his strength. 

The "Today" family enthusiastically welcomed the celebrity author with a touching theme song alongside the display of a heartfelt message written on a white poster, urging him to "get well soon." As one of the four presenters, Hoda Kotb, announced his return with the other co-hosts applauding him, he could not help but express his appreciation for the gesture.

In addition, when asked how he felt following the hospitalization, Roker admitted that it was good to be home surrounded by family. However, he was grateful to everyone who checked up on him at the hospital. He further mentioned that the period was "tough" and gave him "a profound sense of gratitude for this outpouring of prayers and thanks."

Afterward, the veteran weather anchor called himself "a very fortunate person" and shed more light on his recovery as seen in the video uploaded on "Today's" official Twitter page. He said:

"You lose a certain amount of muscle mass every week you're in the hospital. I was in the hospital for four weeks. So you know it's just a certain amount of weakness. I'm doing physical therapy every day, occupational therapy. I've got to just get my strength back."

During the discussion, Roker disclosed he wanted to get a knee replacement in January but had to reschedule, given his condition. Nevertheless, he admitted, "I feel good, I feel strong, and every day I feel a little bit better. I made dinner last night, and yeah, I just feel like there's going to be a little bit of a slug."

The 68-year-old actor once more voiced how blessed he felt to have all the resources helping with his health compared to those who had to manage little resources for worse conditions. He sent a shout out to the doctors and nurses who cared for him at the New York Presbyterian Hospital while also appreciating his "Today" family again.

Savannah Guthrie, another co-anchor, noted that Roker always smiled despite his difficulties, leading her to praise his wife, Deborah Roberts, for being a "warrior" and keeping them up to date with his condition.

Towards the end of the short clip, the four co-hosts expressed their love and told Roker how much he is missed prompting him to blow them a kiss from the comfort of his kitchen.

Since his discharge from the hospital on Thanksgiving, the "3rd Hour Today" co-host has been all about gratitude especially given the thankful season. Roker announced his return home on Instagram using a video captioned:

"So much to be #thankful for on the #thanksgiving day. Leaving the hospital and home for #thanksgivingdinner."

As for the clip, he declared that "getting ready to leave the hospital" was his version of the Thanksgiving Day parade. And naturally, the heart-lifting post caused fans to express delight in seeing him well. 

In March, The Blast reported that Roker, who has had his share of surgeries over the years, acknowledged how far he had come regarding his weight loss. After going through gastric bypass surgery, the journalist was able to lose 100 pounds in eight months, and in remembrance, he took to Instagram to compare his current size with the past.

In the shared photos, he could be seen donning size 54 jeans he wore to the surgery in 2002, fitting him perfectly at the time. However, his present look showed a significant difference as it was enormous on his now slight frame.

Taking to the caption, Roker expressed disbelief that he actually wore the jeans two decades before when he was 340 pounds. He further admitted that it was still a daily struggle with several setbacks but promised never to go back or forget how far he had come.