Al Roker “takes nothing for granted” after suffering health problems.
The ‘Today’ weatherman – who battled obesity until losing 100 pounds in the early 2000s and then endured a three-year battle with cancer from 2020-2023 – celebrated his 70th birthday on Tuesday (20.08.24) and admitted his past struggles have made him “appreciate” everything more today.
He told E! News: “When you have a health issue, whether it’s yourself or a loved one, you realize you can’t take anything for granted. So you focus – laser-focused, so to speak – on your health and the health of your family and everyone around you, but you appreciate each day a little bit more.”
“I don’t trust people who don’t eat cake.
“But I’ve changed things up a bit. Everything in moderation.”
The TV star, who also lost 20 kilos in 2022, was thrown a surprise birthday party by Deborah Roberts and her three children Courtney, Leila and Nick and was even treated to a performance by Earth, Wind and Fire.
He said: “It was really epic. Incredibly epic. Everyone I wanted there was there. When you see them come back together as adults, it’s like they really appreciate each other.”
Meanwhile, New York Mayor Eric Adams presented Al with the key to the city, admitting that it was a great honor for him because of his childhood in the Big Apple.
He said: “I grew up here. My only wish was to go back to New York, not because it was New York City, but because it was my hometown, so my mother could turn on the TV and see me. Because at the end of the day, we always do something to impress our parents.”
Al Roker celebrates his 70th birthday and “takes nothing for granted” after health problems
