Hoda Kotb Details Daughter's 'Scary' Medical Crisis

Hoda Kotb

Many fans shared their worries for Today Show anchor Hoda Kotb and her family last year when she was away from the show for weeks dealing with a family situation. Now, the mother of two is opening up a bit more about what happened regarding her daughter Hope, 4, and her health, as well as how she is doing now.

Just over a year ago, Kotb surprised fans when she was missing from Today for quite a long time, later revealing that her younger daughter, then-3-year-old Hope, was in the intensive care unit for a few days.

"We had a scary stretch," recalled Kotb while speaking with People in a new interview. "Any parent who’s been through a scary thing with their child understands. It’s like you just can’t believe that your child’s sick...You can’t believe that no matter what you do, you can’t will it away or protect her, or all the things that we’re supposed to be doing as parents. And it’s a position I’ve never found myself in.”

Because of how young Hope is, Kotb didn't share any details about her health diagnosis, but she noted that the family has had to adjust while continually monitoring her condition. She added that it has "stabilized," and Kotb took on extra help to deal with the different needs.

She said she's "trying to make everything normal," but it's "tricky."

"I don’t want Hope to get labeled," she explained. "She’s a kid who is so vibrant, and most days everything is totally fine. I don’t want people to look at her differently.”

In the same way, Kotb commented on keeping her worry away from Hope so that she can relax and have a normal life, saying, "It’s too much for a kid to carry."

Luckily, it seems like Hope is doing well right now, while her family and friends have been a strong support system for her. Kotb also has an older daughter named Haley, and she shares both with her ex-fiancé, Joel Schiffman.

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