Hoda Kotb gets teary-eyed as she recounts daughter Hope’s health scare, calls her ‘incredible'

LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA: Hoda Kotb, co-host of 'Today with Hoda & Jenna,' shared a deeply emotional experience on the Tuesday, March 5 episode, reflecting on her four-year-old daughter Hope's challenging health journey.

The 59-year-old TV star opened up about her daughter's ICU health scare last year, revealing the inspiration behind her newly-released book, 'Hope Is A Rainbow'.

Hoda Kotb's emotional revelation on her daughter's resilience

As the morning show kicked off with the announcement of Hoda's book release, she couldn't hold back tears while recounting the dedication of her resilient daughter.

Recalling a poignant moment, she shared with co-host Jenna Bush Hager how she was writing a heartfelt note for Hope, emphasizing her daughter's strength and bravery over the past year.

"This morning I was writing a note. I tuck away letters that I give to my children around their birthday time, I write a letter that describes what they are like at that particular age," Hoda shared.

"And I am writing one for Hope. I was just talking about how incredible and resilient she is and what she has overcome in the past year and how she is braver than she ever imagined."

Hoda recounted a comforting strategy she employed in the hospital when her daughter was admitted, playing the song 'I Am Light' to drown out the surrounding commotion and create a sense of safety and calmness for her daughter.

"And whenever we get into a place that we feel unsure, like when Hope was sick, and there was a lot of commotion going on around her in the hospital, I played that," Hoda explained.

"I held that next to her ear and it played and it drowned out all the sounds. In that moment we were all safe."

"I remembered thinking to myself, 'this song, this song...' and now when Hope goes, 'Can we play our song?' Our song is 'I Am Light'," she added, as a snippet of the song played out and Hoda's eyes filled with tears.

Hoda emotionally expressed, "In that moment, we were all safe. I was looking at her, trying to make it quiet and make her safe and calm."

 

Jenna Bush Hager recognizes Hoda's personal growth

Jenna, visibly moved, pointed out the parallel growth in Hoda herself, noting her increased strength and softer, more open demeanor. She acknowledged the transformative power of parenthood, where children lead parents to become better versions of themselves.

"You are stronger than you were a year ago, you are braver than you ever thought possible, you can do so much. And you are also softer, more gentle, open," Jenna told Hoda.

"I have chills thinking about it because I was listening to you and I'm like, 'She is also talking about herself.' And isn't that weird how our kids bring us to this place where we are better than we are?"

Hope's heartfelt message and Hoda's gratitude

In a touching moment, a pre-recorded video message from Hope played, showing the four-year-old at home with a copy of her mother's new book. Expressing excitement, Hope declared, "I know I'm enough because my mommy loves me," leaving Hoda wiping away tears.

Hoda initially shared Hope's health struggle on March 6 of the previous year, expressing gratitude for her daughter's recovery after a stint in the ICU and hospital. She tearfully thanked the medical professionals, family, and friends who supported them during this challenging time.

"My youngest Hope was in the ICU for a few days and then the hospital for a little more than a week," Hoda shared when she returned to the 'Today' show.

"I'm so grateful she is home, she is back home. I was waiting for that day to come. And we are watching her closely. I'm just so happy."

"And you know what I realized too? When your child is ill, the amount of gratitude you can have for people who have helped you out," she explained.

"I'm grateful for the doctors at Weill Cornell who were amazing and the nurses and I'm grateful to my family and I'm grateful to friends like you who were there every single day. I want to say thank you for that. I love you."