Al Rokerwill be missing from theTodayshow as he recovers from another major surgery.
On Tuesday, the beloved morning show weatherman, 68, had knee replacement surgery. He shared the news on Saturday in an Instagram video of himself during a walk in Central Park, telling followers that walking has been difficult for him lately.
“I’m a little less than three days away from getting this left knee replaced,” he said in the clip. “It’s a replacement of a replacement so I am kind of limping through. This is probably my last walk of any significance before the knee, but it was just such a gorgeous day I had to get out and enjoy it.”
Roker added in the caption that he’s having a total knee replacement and will be taking time off to recover. He previously had a knee replacement surgery in 2016.
Never miss a story — sign up forPEOPLE’s free daily newsletterto stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from juicy celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.
Roker’s last absence from theTodayshow was also due to his health. He was out of work for two months following a hospitalization due toblood clots in his leg and lungsand returned on Jan. 6.
Roker said he had no idea his condition was so serious when he first saw doctors in early November to address stomach pain. The situation quickly escalated into a frightening range of medical issues that left officials baffled at first, sending him to the hospital not once, but twice.
“Look, I had two complicating things,” Roker said onToday. “I had blood clots, which they think came up after I had COVID in September. And then I had this internal bleeding going on, I lost half my blood. They were trying to figure out where it was.”
“I went into for one operation, I got four free,” joked Roker. “So I got that going for me.”
Fortunately, his wifeDeborah Roberts— a correspondent for ABC News — took the reins as the lead in Roker’s care, working directly with doctors.
“Thank god for Deborah,” he said at the time.“She basically shielded me from all of this. I’m a living example of ignorance is bliss. I was able to put all my energy into recuperating because I didn’t know how bad this was. … I thought I was doing good!”
“It’s not lost on us that this is a major, major thing for Al to be here,” Roberts added. “He is a living breathing miracle. And I’m not overstating it, I think.”
Roker has been a staple onTodayas the program’s premier weather anchor since 1996, and previously made appearances as a substitute weathercaster from 1990 to 1995, filling in for the lateWillard Scottbefore his semiretirement.
source: people.com
