Al Roker explained that after a few “medical weeks-a-mole”, he is on the road to recovery from a health scare.
WASHINGTON — Weatherman and morning TV co-host Al Rooker revealed Friday that he is recovering after being hospitalized for blood clots in his leg and lung.
“Many of you are wondering where I’ve been,” Rooker wrote in a post on social media. “Last week I was hospitalized with a blood clot in my leg that sent some clots into my lungs. After some medical whack-a-mole, I’ve been very fortunate to receive fantastic medical care. I have been and am on the road to recovery.”
His “Today” co-hosts shared the update during Friday’s show. And Savannah Guthrie added that Rooker is in “good spirits.”
Rooker usually hosts the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade with Guthrie and Hoda Kotb. It has yet to be announced whether someone else will take over the parade coverage for Rooker this year.
In Friday’s update, Rooker also thanked fans for their well wishes and prayers, and said he hopes to see everyone soon.
Back in 2020, Rooker was off the air for a few weeks after undergoing surgery to remove his prostate. Rooker revealed at the time that he had been diagnosed with prostate cancer but had caught it early. He said it all started with a routine physical when his doctor discovered he had prostate-specific antigen in his blood work. This led him to undergo an MRI to confirm his diagnosis, followed by a biopsy.
Rooker decided to share his diagnosis publicly to encourage others at risk — especially black men — to make sure they see a doctor and prevent cancer. So get a proper check-up which can be very treatable if detected early.