Al Roker Was the Ultimate Hype Man for Wife Deborah Roberts at NYC Marathon
Al Roker
Al Roker was the hype man of our dreams during the 2023 New York City Marathon.
The meteorologist braved the crowds of NYC on Sunday, Nov. 5, alongside several of his colleagues from the Today Show to show up and show out for his wife, Deborah Roberts, third-hour co-host Sheinelle Jones, producer Rainy Farrell, and staffer Yosef Herzog as they ran the annual marathon.
According to one of many photos and videos Roker uploaded to Instagram throughout the day, the group followed the runners "all along the race route" to cheer them on. In one clip, Jones caught sight of her supporters, who stood on the sidelines with balloons and cowbells, and deviated off of the course for a moment to hug them all before continuing on.
The morning show's in-house photographer, Nathan Congleton, was also present, capturing Jones' emotional response to crossing the finish line, from throwing her arms up in celebration as she stepped across to the tears that came after.
"What a journey for our @sheinelle_o who has shown grit, determination and positivity as she trained for the @nycmarathon Her family and her @todayshow family could not be prouder. We love you. Thanks for these pics, @photonate," Roker wrote alongside them.
Jones announced her intention to run the marathon earlier this year, aiming to "change the narrative" about what she's capable of.
“I want to prove that just the average girl, we can do it,” she said. “I am 4'11". I am not a model. I’m not a runner, but we can do this!”
Ahead of the event, she added, “It is my sincere prayer that I encourage someone to try something new, perhaps outside of his or her comfort zone … whether it’s in the form of exercise, or even a new musical instrument … whatever it is. I have to be honest, some days have been *really* tough for me … but here we are. Running has often been the therapy I didn’t know I needed. Almost there!”
Roker also shared a video of his wife, 20/20 co-anchor Roberts, smiling widely as she crossed the finish line, though it appeared to have been taken by another runner.
"Way to go @debrobertsabc and #oneabcnews crossing the #finishline at @nycmarathon So proud of you," he wrote.
Now we're just wondering how we can hire him to cheer us on?
Next: Watch Al Roker and Dylan Dreyer Show Off Their Dance Moves on 'Today'
