Al Roker is a grandfather.
Al Roker is a grandfather
The 68-year-old ‘Today’ weatherman’s daughter Courtney Roker gave birth to her and husband Wesley Laga’s first baby – a daughter they have called Sky Clara Laga – on 3 July.
The news was announced by Al’s co-anchors, who said the family “couldn’t be happier” the baby was healthy.
Courtney, 36, told her Instagram followers in March that she was pregnant.
Al revealed to Entertainment Tonight in May Courtney Roker was pregnant with a baby girl – but after telling the outlet he was getting a “granddaughter” he tried to backtrack and say he had a “grandchild” on the way.
Al added he hadn’t wanted to know the baby’s sex in the first place but found out on text.
He said: “(Courtney sent) me a sonogram picture and I said, ‘That baby looks just like you,’ and she said, ‘Doesn’t she?’
“And then you see the bubbles. (She wrote), ‘I’m so sorry!’ and I went, ‘You had one (job)!’
“I wanted to be surprised.”
Courtney announced she was pregnant on Instagram with the message: “A new adventure is about to begin. Here we go! So very very happy!!!!!”
Al said on the ‘Today’ show the day after the post he wanted to be called “Pop Pop”, adding about his wife Deborah Roberts’ reaction to the news: “Deborah is still not quite sure about the grandma thing, but we’re very excited. It still hasn’t quite sunken in.”
The weather man adopted Courtney in 1987 with his then-wife, Alice Bell.
After their divorce in 1994 he moved on with Deborah and had two more children – daughter Leila, 24, and 20-year-old son Nick.
Courtney’s daughter is his first grandchild.
His joy over becoming a grandad has been mixed with torment over his recent health struggles.
He admitted last year his string of recent hospitalisations had been “tough”.
Al’s health battles hit headlines in November when he explained his temporary absence on the NBC morning show.
He told his Instagram followers: “Last week I was admitted to the hospital with a blood clot in my leg which sent some clots into my lungs.
“After some medical whack-a-mole, I am so fortunate to be getting terrific medical care and on the way to recovery.”
Al also had an emergency carpal tunnel surgical procedure in 2018 and a hip replacement the following year.
In November 2020, he shared a prostate cancer diagnosis with viewers, warning the disease – which he beat after surgery – was “a little aggressive” despite him catching it early.
He is currently recovering from knee surgery on 9 May, and his wife Deborah has told fans he is “sick and tired of being sick and tired” after the procedure.