Hoda Kotb Returns to ‘Today’ After Daughter’s ICU Stay

Hoda Kotb returned to the “Today” show on Monday after being away for the past few weeks.

Kotb explained to co-anchor Savannah Guthrie and the audience that her youngest daughter Hope, 3, had been hospitalized.

“My youngest, Hope, was in the ICU for a few days and in the hospital for a little more than a week," Hoda shared. "I’m so grateful she’s home. She is back home. I was waiting for that day to come. And we are watching her closely. I’m just so happy."

Kotb got emotional as she continued, “You know what I realized, too, Savannah? When your child is ill, the amount of gratitude you can have for people who helped you out.”

The star said, “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. So, I want to say thank you for that. I love you.”

Guthrie told her, "I love you, too.”

Later in the show, while talking to Jenna Bush Hager, Hoda called Hope's hospitalization "really scary," but added her little girl is "vibrant and brilliant."

"She's home," she said emphatically, sharing, "I'm over the moon that she's home."

Hoda got candid, saying, "I always talk about 'gratitude, gratitude,' but I found myself not living in that lane because I was scared. And then I decided, 'You know what, let me think about this for a minute. I have a family who loves me, I have a little girl who's home, I have a wonderful support system. I have doctors who would've done anything to make everything better, and they did."

"So sometimes you talk about gratitude and then when you're pushed to the limit you're like, 'Do I feel it?'" she continued.

At that point, Hoda revealed a necklace with a special message that helped her get through the health emergency.

"I’m wearing this little thing that a friend of mine sent to me, and she said, ‘I’m going to take it off my neck and I’m going to send it to you. It’s worn down because I rub it all the time, and it says, ‘God’s got this.'"

"So she said, ‘If I ever see you not wearing it, I’m coming to get you,'" Kotb said, laughing. "But that’s it, that’s it."

She later added, "And also anyone who has ever gone through an illness with a child... boy, I thought I understood you but... I didn't... for every person going though some stuff, I get it."

Hoda had not been at a live taping since February 17, and then on February 28, Savannah tested positive for COVID-19 and was pulled off the air.

On March 1, “Today’s” Craig Melvin and Sheinelle Jones filled in for the pair, and Melvin was able to shed some light on the situation.

"We mentioned that Savannah and Hoda are both off. Savannah, she's home after a positive COVID test yesterday. We are wishing our friend a speedy recovery," Craig said.

He continued, "And as for Hoda, we know a lot of you have been wondering how she's doing. We can tell you that Hoda's okay. She's got a family health matter that she's been dealing with, so we look forward to seeing Hoda and Savannah back at the desk real, real soon."

Weatherman Al Roker added, "We love you both.”

Jenna Bush Hager also addressed Hoda’s absence as Willie Geist filled in for the anchor later in the show.

“Willie is in for Hoda, and we just want to let you all know that we heard you, and Hoda is okay,” Jenna said. “She just has a family health matter she is dealing with.”

Bush Hager and Geist added that they “love” and “adore” Hoda and look forward to her return.

During her absence, Hoda had been sending positive messages like “Choose Hope” to her followers on Instagram.

One message read, “Sometimes miracles are just good people with kind hearts.” Another: “Here’s to strong women. May we know them. May we be them. May we raise them.”

Hoda also included quotes from Charlie Mackesy’s “The Boy, the Mole, the Fox and the Horse.”