Natalie Morales shares sweet selfie with husband to celebrate 'new beginnings'
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After news broke on Friday that Natalie Morales would be leaving NBC News after 22 years, the 49-year-old television journalist took to social media to celebrate.
In a sweet selfie with her husband of 23 years Joe Rhodes, Morales can be seen smiling bright while cheers'ing a Corona on the beach. The couple got married in 1998 and have two children together: Josh, 17, and Luke, 13.
"To new beginnings," Morales wrote in the caption. "A toast to anyone who is taking on something new.. and no matter how scary … good things will come when you least expect it!"
"So happy for you, dearest Natalie," TODAY co-anchor Savannah Guthrie wrote in the comments. "You will be sorely missed by all of us, but we are so proud of you!!! Go get em!"
3rd Hour of TODAY co-host Sheinelle Jones commented a series of heart emojis, while TODAY's Donna Farizan commented her support with a single heart emoji.
"Natalie… you are such a class act," television host Joelle Garguilo commented. "I could go on forever about how wonderful you were to me when I was just getting started in this business… one of a kind!"
On Friday, Morales first announced her departure from NBC News in an internal memo to colleagues, explaining that she was excited to be pursuing "a new adventure."
"This first half of my life has been one full of adventure, challenges, travel, way too many early wake up calls, and yes opportunities to witness history unfold and to tell inspiring and impactful stories that will always be in my mind’s highlight reel," she wrote.
"Speaking of that reel: I watched my family grow up along with so many of your own children, and as my oldest son gets ready to spread his wings and head to college soon, so too do I feel the time is right, (before the second half of my life) to spread my own wings and to pursue a new adventure."
Morales will continue to appear as a "Dateline" correspondent through the rest of 2021, and will be saluted with an on-air farewell tribute on TODAY in the coming weeks.
