Hoda Kotb Breaks Down In Tears Watching Daughter Hope’s Video Message After Opening Up About Her ‘Scary’ Hospitalization On ‘Today’
March 22, 2024 by Marissa Matozzo
Hoda Kotb was moved to tears during a new segment of Today with Hoda and Jenna when a pre-recorded clip of her 4-year-old daughter, Hope, was played on-air. The young child had a touching message for her mother, which also caused Kotb’s co-anchor, Jenna Bush Hager, to become emotional. In the video, little Hope talked about her mother’s new children’s book, Hope Is A Rainbow, released earlier this month.
During the episode, Bush Hager, 42, sweetly surprised her friend and co-worker. “We know that this was written with Hope as an inspiration,” Bush Hager told Kotb, 59, referring to the new book. “Just take a quick look,” Bush Hager told Kotb before the video of her toddler began.
As Hope (whom Kotb shares with ex Joel Schiffman) made her appearance on the pre-recorded video, her mother (as well as the audience) was presented with a heartwarming sight: the child holding a copy of the book Kotb wrote for her.
Hope conveyed her congratulations to her mom in a manner that was endearing beyond measure, prompting an emotional reaction from Kotb. “I’m so excited for my book to come out, and I love it,” she adorably gushed in the clip. “I know I’m enough because my mommy loves me.”
“I don’t know if you heard that,” Bush Hager said to Kotb after the clip ended as Kotb asked: “What did she just say?”
The two then repeated Hope’s words in unison: “I know I’m enough because my mommy loves me.” As Kotb wiped away tears she joked: “That was not nice” as Bush Hager added: “Too much to bear, too much” while getting choked up as well.