Viewers likely noticed that Al Roker was absent from the Today show recently, and this may have been due to the loss of someone close to him.
On Tuesday’s episode of the NBC program, Dylan Dreyer replaced Roker as the show’s meteorologist. The Today crew did not provide a reason for Roker’s absence.
Hours before Today aired, Roker’s daughter, Courtney Roker Laga, shared on Instagram that her mother, Alice Bell, passed away.
“She was my mother, my heart, and the most loving grandmother to Sky. I was with her for her last breath, and I will carry her love with me always,” Laga wrote in her caption.
In the IG carousel post, Courtney shared several throwback photos of her mother when she was younger and more recent images with Bell holding Courtney’s child on her lap.
According to TMZ, Bell died at age 77. While the cause of death was not immediately known, she appears hooked up to oxygen in several photos.
Roker and Bell had a 10-year marriage
Alice Bell and Roker married in 1984. At the time, Bell produced WNBC-TV’s Live at Five news show. Roker was WNBC-TV’s weatherman.
Just three years later, they adopted their daughter Courtney.
In 1994, Roker and Bell divorced. Roker married Deborah Roberts a year later.
Viewers regularly see Roker on NBC’s Today and other programs as the main meteorologist and a host or co-host. His wife, Deborah, appears on ABC’s news programs, including Good Morning America.
Courtney is currently a content creator, recipe developer, wife, and mother. She and husband, Wesley Laga, welcomed their daughter, Sky, in July 2023, making Roker and his ex-wife grandparents.
In addition to his daughter Courtney, Roker has a son and a daughter with his wife Deborah.
Roker recently shared a motivational message with his fans
As of this writing, Roker has not publicly reacted or commented on the passing of his ex-wife.
On Monday, the NBC Today star shared an Instagram video of himself walking on a treadmill. As the song played in the background, he recited the narrator’s comments from the theme song for the classic TV series The A-Team.
“Yes ladies and gentlemen, it’s Monday. What’s your motivational Monday theme?” he cheerfully asked his followers.
“It’s The A-Team for me,” he said, adding, “Guess that Patrick Mahomes and the Kansas City Chiefs could’ve used Mr. T building some sort of attack vehicle.”
“Now, you gotta pick yourself up and get going,” Roker said, regarding the Super Bowl’s losing team.
“Time to pick yourself up. Just do something, because remember, something is better than nothing and I pity the fool who doesn’t get up and get moving!” He said, doing an impression of Mr. T voice for part of his remarks.
“Alright!! #mondaymotivation #theme #somethingisbetterthannothing so c’mon @starttoday_ family! Whether your team won or lost, let’s be gracious and show some love,” he captioned his IG video post.
Roker appeared on Monday’s Today, before missing Tuesday’s episode. It’s unknown if he will return on Wednesday or another day this week.