‘Today’ Star Al Roker Reveals How Craig Melvin Helped Him During His Major Health Crisis

Al Roker and Craig Melvin aren’t just buddies who work together on the Today show — they are there to support each other through thick and thin.

Fans of the NBC morning show may remember Al experienced a number of health issues in late 2022. Amid being hospitalized for blood clots in his leg and lungs that kept him back from being on Today, he eventually returned to daytime TV in early 2023 and has been back ever since. And while he’s been open about how dire his health condition was at the time, Al revealed that Craig played a special part in his recovery process.

During the July 28 episode of Today, viewers watched as Craig donated blood on live TV. While Craig was lying down and encouraging people to donate as well, it was revealed that he had given blood to Al while he was in in the hospital just three years prior.

“That’s right, because I came over and gave,” Craig stated before making a joke, per a report in Parade. “I wanted to make sure it was earmarked for you.”

While Craig tried to get emotional about being able to help his friend out amid his health crisis, Al had to make sure he had a comment or two about it as well.

“Yeah, in fact, after I got Craig’s blood, I started talking slower and I started drinking more bourbon,” Al joked back. “So, bonus!”

As some may remember, Al previously opened up about the extent of how bad his medical issues were when appearing on the Your Mama’s Kitchen podcast in November 2023.

“It’s no secret that I had a severe medical issue, and to be completely honest, I almost died,” he emotionally revealed on the podcast, per TVInsider at the time. “I didn’t know it at the time … But I missed Thanksgiving and almost missed Christmas and I forgot how important those touchstone moments are.”

We love to see two friends support one another.

As for Roker, he has been a weatherman for Today since 1996, filling in for weatherman Willard Scott before replacing him after his retirement.

Roker has been open about his various health struggles while working on Today, including talking about his bypass surgery in 2012 to help with his weight. In 2020, he shared that he had been diagnosed with prostate cancer, and in 2022, Roker struggled with blood clots that caused him to miss covering the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade for the first time in 27 years.

He was hospitalized multiple times after doctors found blood clots in his leg and lungs. At the time, his wife, Deborah Roberts, told the Today show in Jan. 2023 that Roker had “major, major surgery” and his doctor described his condition as “life-threatening.”

He shared that he endured a nearly seven-hour surgery for two bleeding ulcers that included removing his gall bladder and having his colon resectioned. He came very close to dying.

“It was frightening beyond belief,”

“It’s the toughest thing we’ve ever endured as a family and a couple.”