Hoda Kotb And Jenna Bush Hager Brought To Tears On ‘Today’ Recalling The Days Kotb’s Three-Year-Old Spent In The ICU: “How Incredible And Resilient She Is”

By Radhamely De Leon
Published March 5, 2024, 12:34 p.m. ET

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During Tuesday’s broadcast of Today, Hoda Kotb celebrated the release of her new book Hope is a Rainbow by opening up about her daughter Hope, who was hospitalized in 2023 when she was just three years old.

In February 2023, Kotb revealed that she had to take some time away from The Today Show and Today with Hoda & Jenna because Hope had been in the “ICU for a few days and in the hospital for a little more than a week,” though she did not share why at the time.

Kotb and Jenna Bush Hager became increasingly emotional during Tuesday’s broadcast as the Today hosts looked back on the difficult time for Kotb and her family.

Kotb explained that she writes letters to her daughters every year on their birthdays to describe “what they’re like at that particular age.”

She said, “I was writing one for Hope and I was just talking about how incredible and resilient she is and what she’s overcome in the past year, and how she’s braver than she ever even imagine.”

Bush Hager had some kind words to share for her co-host and friend: “When I was just listening to you say all of that about your precious daughter, it’s also about you, too,” Bush Hager said. “You are stronger than you were a year ago, you are braver than you ever thought possible.”

She added as Kotb began to get emotional, “You’re also softer, more gentle, more open. I have chills thinking about it because I was listening to you and I’m like, ‘She’s also talking about herself.'”

Both hosts had tears in their eyes as Bush Hager continued, “Isn’t that weird how our kids can bring us to this place where we are better than we were before?”

Kotb began saying something in agreement to Bush Hager before she cut herself off, saying, “I can’t believe you said that.”

But the tears did not stop there. They later surprised Kotb with a surprise message from Hope that really pushed Kotb and Bush Hager “over the edge.”

“I’m so excited for my book to come out and I love it,” Hope says in the video message. “I know I’m enough because my mommy loves me.”

The message appeared to shock Kotb, who began wiping tears from her eyes again while telling her Today crew, “That was really not nice!”

Through tears, Bush Hager agreed it was “too much to bear.” She said, “It’s putting us over the edge.”

Kotb’s new children’s book Hope is a Rainbow is now available for purchase.

Today with Jenna and Hoda airs on weekdays at 10/9c on NBC.