Al Roker’s Wife Deborah Recalls Being His Caregiver During Health Crisis: ‘Exhausting, Frightening’

Nathan Congleton / TODAY

Deborah Roberts, Al Roker’s wife of 27 years, recently shared details with Entertainment Tonight about her time as Al’s primary caregiver during a bout of illness and a major 7-hour surgery.

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“I think a lot of people don’t realize that — and I never realized that — that being a caregiver is really taxing, exhausting, frightening, all of those things and I never went through anything like this,” she shared. “And I hope I’ll never do it again.”

“But it’s tough,” she continued. “It’s tough. I’m still kind of, I think, recuperating. I’m still kind of tired. I’m still mentally exhausted, but you know what, I’m grateful and just trying to just bask in the moment and just be happy that he’s well, and we’re all well.”

She quipped that she knows her husband is doing well because he is “back to driving [her] crazy.”

Roberts shared her gratitude toward friends and family for supporting.

“I would say my faith, my spirituality got me through it,” she said. “My family got me through it, my colleagues got me through it. Colleagues, many of whom are here today, lifted me up in times when I felt like I just couldn’t make it. People were there and texting and emailing and calling, and that made all the difference.”

Harrowing Experiences

PHOTO: ROY ROCHLIN/GETTY

In November of last year, Al was diagnosed with blood clots in his legs that slowly moved to his lungs. He was hospitalized twice, both stays were 2 weeks long.

In the past, Roker had experienced other health problems, such as being diagnosed with prostate cancer in 2020. However, the most recent event scared Roberts the most. The scare brought Roker close to death.

“I was truly bracing myself to have a talk with the kids about the possibility of losing their father.” The couple has two children together. Nick, 20, Leila, 24, and Courtney, 35 from Al’s first marriage.

Roker added that he’s “blessed to be alive. 

“Without you, I would not be here. There’s no question about that. But here we are,” he told his wife.

Read More: How Al Roker Accidentally Discovered His Daughter Courtney’s Pregnancy – Rare

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