Jenna Bush Hager and Hoda Kotb Rally Behind Today’s Bobbie Thomas After Her Husband Dies at 42

Photo credit: Instagram
Photo credit: Instagram

From Prevention

  • Bobbie Thomas, 46, shared a heartbreaking Instagram post following the death of her husband Michael Marion, who was 42.

  • Marion passed away last week following "problems related to several organ systems," Thomas wrote on Instagram.

  • Today with Hoda and Jenna co-hosts Jenna Bush Hager, Hoda Kotb, and Savannah Guthrie are showing their support for the Today style contributor at this time.

Bobbie Thomas is mourning the death of her husband Michael Marion, who passed away last week as a result of "problems related to several organ systems," Thomas said in a statement. The Today style contributor opened up about her husband's death in a new Instagram post, where she shared several photos of her and Marion.

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"Nothing is normal. Maybe nothing will ever be normal again. For me, it won't. My husband is gone," she wrote in the caption. "With all the fear, anger, and division going on in the world right now, it's so easy to get upset about the lack of normalcy. But I beg you, everyone reading this, hold onto what you do have right now instead of focusing on what you don't."

Thomas encouraged everyone to spread kindness. "Because in the end, the ONLY thing that matters is love. If you're lucky enough to have it, please appreciate it, every moment, every day. Especially during the hard parts," she said. "There will never be enough time and some of our forevers are much too short. As I type through tears, I embrace gratitude ... holding our precious son Miles and memories, of the time I did have with Michael, closer to my broken heart."

Both fans and the Today cast showed their support for Thomas in the comments section. "Dearest brave Bobbie. We will all surround you and Miles with love. I'm so sorry for all you have to bear," Savannah Guthrie wrote. "You have my deepest admiration and love and respect. You have taught me so much and I am bringing it to heart."

Dylan Dreyer said, "You are an incredible woman with so much strength. My heart breaks for you and Miles and I’ll keep your family in my prayers. Sending you so much love ??." Jenna Bush Hager wrote, "Bobbie, your strength amazes. Love you so. ??," while Hoda Kotb commented, "??🙏🏼??🙏🏼??."

Thomas revealed to Today that Marion had recently been hospitalized. He struggled with health issues following an ischemic stroke in April 2019, although Thomas said her husband's health issues were unrelated to his previous stroke.

"Michael worked hard to recover from his stroke and had made such progress that he was making plans to return to work," Thomas said. "He landed in the hospital due to problems involving several organ systems, separate from his stroke of 18 months ago, and unrelated to COVID-19."

The Today show contributor reflected on all that her husband has meant to her throughout their seven year marriage. "He brought so much compassion, patience, understanding and stability to my life, and taught me more about love than I could ever put to words," she said "He was sensitive and silly, yet so stoic, and brave beyond my comprehension."

"I will be forever grateful for the time I had with him. He was so worth it," she continued. "I only wish people could have been more intimately aware of how worth it he was and why I would do it all again and again without a second thought. He was a rare, devoted force of unconditional love in my life who made me feel so loved, so beautiful, and unequivocally supported."

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