Al Roker Gets Emotional on First Day Back at Today Since Health Crisis: 'My Heart Is Bursting'

Savannah Guthrie, Al Roker and Hoda Kotb

Al Roker brought the sunshine and the showers on his first day back at Today since blood clots in his leg and lungs sent him to the hospital.

On Friday, the 68-year-old weatherman returned to the popular NBC morning news program for his first in-studio appearance in two months — a milestone that was met with applause, laughter and even a cry or two.

"The countdown is over. After nearly two months away, Al is ready to re-join us here in Studio 1A and we cannot wait to throw our arms around our ray of sunshine," anchor Savannah Guthrie explained at the top of the show. "It is a really special day ... and I'm sorry because the tears are already flowing, because Al Roker is back!"

Roker then walked on to the show, hugging Guthrie, 51, and fellow anchor Hoda Kotb as they and the crew at Today applauded his appearance. "To say we have missed you doesn't even begin to describe it," said Guthrie. "It is nothing without you here."

"The crew is weepy," added Kotb, 58. "The crowd outside, they've been waiting for you. They've been bummed every day we walk out there like, 'Where is Al?' "

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"As much as we missed you, Al, I think the plaza missed you even more," Guthrie later said, as fans outside held signs featuring Roker's face and the words "Welcome Back" in large letters. "Signs for you. They are your people!"

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The love was not lost on Roker. "I have missed you guys so very much," he remarked. "You are my second family and it's just great to be back — and wearing pants! It's so much fun."

"My heart is just bursting," he said. "I'm just so thrilled to see all of you and the crew. Right now I'm running on adrenaline."

His sense of humor remained intact, with Roker joking as he walked off the set, "Oh, what is all these lights? It's burning my eyes! Ahh!"

"It's been weird," he said after doing his first weather broadcast, something he got used to seeing meteorologist Dylan Dreyer handling in his absence. "I've usually been sitting back, drinking coffee, watching Dylan do the weather. This is a little harder!"

Nathan Congleton/NBC via Getty Al Roker, Savannah Guthrie and Hoda Kotb

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Roker has been a staple on Today as the program's premier weather anchor since 1996, and previously made appearances as a substitute weathercaster from 1990 to 1995, filling in for the late Willard Scott before his semiretirement. He'd been absent from Today for several weeks, last appearing on the Nov. 4 broadcast.

What started out as a few stomach pains would escalate into a frightening range of medical issues for Roker, including blood clots in his leg and lungs. He was first hospitalized at NewYork–Presbyterian Hospital, released weeks later and then returned to the facility after Thanksgiving.

Those health issues caused him to miss the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade — his first in 27 years — and the annual Christmas Tree Lighting at Rockefeller Center. But on Dec. 8, the TV personality shared via Instagram that he was out of the hospital once again.

Since then, Guthrie, Kotb, Craig Melvin and their Today colleagues have been providing steady updates on Roker's recovery. They even included a sweet shout-out to him in their 2022 digital holiday card, and surprised Roker at home with a Christmas-carol singalong.

Roker's been updating fans on his recovery on Instagram, too, and made a virtual appearance on Today to check in with his status. "It's been a tough slog, I'm not going to deny this," Roker said on Dec. 12. "This has been the hardest one yet — and you know, I've had my fair share of surgeries. But it gives you a profound sense of gratitude for this outpouring of prayers and thanks. I'm a very fortunate person."

Al Roker/instagram Deborah Roberts and Al Roker

RELATED: Al Roker Celebrates Christmas with His Family After Return from Hospital: "From Our Family to Yours"

At home, Roker has been surrounded by his family, including his wife Deborah Roberts and daughters Courtney, 35, and Leila, 24, as well as son Nick, 20, when he returned from college.

Roberts appeared on Today alongside her husband Friday to discuss his condition. "It's not lost on us that this is a major, major thing for Al to be here," the ABC News journalist said. "He is a living breathing miracle. And I'm not overstating it, I think."

"Al was a very, very, very sick man," Roberts continued. "And I think most people did not know that. You all had a chance to know that. And Savannah's tearing up, I'm going to be tearing up but how two doctors led this brilliant team — it was a team — who had to figure out what was happening. He was a medical mystery for a couple of weeks. And it was the must tumultuous, frightening journey we have been on."

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She went on to detail the moment she knew Roker was going to be okay. "Al went through a lot of tests, a lot of scopes," she said. "There was just so much that had to be done, and a major major surgery, if you don't mind me saying. And we were just on pins and needles, every day."

"I kept everyone abreast — our family, you all," continued Roberts, 62. "And Al and I were sitting there one day in the hospital … and through this very scratchy voice, and he was so gaunt and exhausted, he said, 'I'm going to make a spatchcock turkey for Christmas.' And I didn't know whether to burst into tears or just to beam."

"That was the moment for me, and it will always be the moment for me, that this man — I mean, I'm sitting here hoping he's going to make it to Christmas and this man, he wants to make a turkey," she recalled. "I just knew at that point, that will, that drive, is so, so strong."

Elsewhere on Today Friday, Roker opened up about his treatment — including that aforementioned surgery he underwent — saying, "I had no idea how bad I was. I thought I was doing good!"

"Look, I had two complicating things," he said. "I had blood clots, which they think came up after I had COVID in September. And then I had this internal bleeding going on; I lost half my blood. They were trying to figure out where it was. And finally they went in, did the surgery and it ended up two bleeding ulcers, had to resection the colon, had to take out my gallbladder, redo my duodenum ... "

"I went in for one operation, I got four free," he teased. "So I got that going for me."

RELATED VIDEO: Al Roker Recovering After Being Hospitalized for Blood Clots in His Leg and Lungs

Roker also made sure to thank his medical team by name. "These doctors — all these doctors, I knew they had my back. And the nurses, the staff. I've never been a medical ICU, let alone a surgical ICU. They were fantastic. … Just world-class. I'm blessed, I have great health care."

Roker was also blessed to have Roberts by his side, he noted, though his wife was equally thankful for the well-wishes coming in from those around.

"You also had prayer," Roberts said. "There was a prayer circle you wouldn't believe. Not only from our family, you all, my colleagues, but perfect strangers. I was walking down the street — anytime I was going someplace, 'I'm praying for your husband.' The amount of goodwill towards you, I will never, ever ever forget, and never take for granted."

"All of you [at Today], all of you at home," Roker gushed. "The prayer, you could feel it."

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Roberts opened up, too, about how the experience has changed her, praising how in awe she was of her husband.

"Al didn't like be vulnerable and weak, in his mind. Through that weakness and his vulnerability, he showed strength, and I will never, ever forget that example," she said, adding that she also learned the importance of patience.

"I've never, ever been good at patience. I'm ready to get on with it; we all work in television," Roberts said. "I have learned the power of patience. We all have to go with that."

The love didn't end throughout the morning show. Video even played of Roker's arrival at Studio 1A, when he was greeted by Guthrie and Kotb off the elevator and his favorite song, the theme from The A-Team, which he famously plays every morning.

"You've always been an inspiration, even more now," Guthrie told Roker during his sit-down with Roberts. "I'll never forget, Deborah, [in] one of those early texts, you said, 'I've never loved him more.' I think we all echo that, Al: We have never loved you more, and been more grateful to have you by our side.

"Well, I'm grateful to have this woman by my side," Roker responded. "She is the same reason I'm still here."

Today airs weekdays beginning at 7 a.m. ET on NBC.