Hoda Kotb opens up about the health crisis that put her daughter Hope in the ICU
Last February, TODAY anchor Hoda Kotb faced a family emergency when her youngest daughter, Hope, spent several days in the hospital and ICU. Now, Kotb is opening up about her âvibrantâ daughter, now 4, as she navigates the complexities of parenting a medically complex child.
Kotb, 59, is not sharing specifics about Hopeâs diagnosis due to her young age, but she is discussing the âscary stretchâ she faced, telling PEOPLE, âAny parent whoâs been through a scary thing with their child understands.â
âItâs like you just canât believe that your childâs sick,â she adds. âYou canât believe that thereâs nothing you can do. You canât believe that no matter what you do, you canât will it away or protect her, or all the things that weâre supposed to be doing as parents. And itâs a position Iâve never found myself in.â
Hope requires round-the-clock care, with Kotb hiring extra help upon bringing her home. While she says Hopeâs condition has âstabilized,â sheâs ânow trying to make everything normal,â both for Hope and her eldest daughter, Haley, who is 7. âItâs really tricky, because I donât want Hope to get labeled. Sheâs a kid who is so vibrant, and most days everything is totally fine. I donât want people to look at her differently.â
Of course, Kotbâs ability to hire additional care is something not accessible for many parents, but any parent who has had similar experiences will relate to Kotbâs desire to shield her own anxieties and fears from her two children. âIâm not going to put my worry on her. Itâs too much for a kid to carry,â she says. âEven just always saying, âHow are you feeling? You feeling good today, honey?â is saying, âIâm worried,â because youâre not saying that about your other child. Iâll be discussing how itâs going with the nanny, the nurse, whoever, and if sheâs there, sheâs like, âAm I okay?â Iâm trying so hard to let her be a kid and not have all of the grown-up worries.â
Kotb admits that she rarely sleeps soundly through the night anymore as sheâs listening for the sounds of Hopeâs health monitors, but she relies on the support of her care team, family and friends, as well as ex-fiancĂ© Joel Schiffman to get her through the tough moments.
The proud mom also gushes about her little oneâs strength, telling the outlet that Hope âis just intuitive and smart, and Iâve never seen someone whoâs quite as generous.â
âSheâs the kid who gives away her last blueberry,â she adds. âIf your toy is broken, sheâll give you her new one. She is that person.â
And even though the family is not out of the woods with Hopeâs health concerns, she knows these experiences will prepare her for any future challenges that might come her way. âI look at her, and I think, âWow, you blossomed into this incredible kid who is so resilient and well-equipped for her whole life despite this stuff that has happened to her,ââ Kotb says, tearing up. âShe just demonstrates that when you have whatever she has inside of her, this will, this fight, this everything⊠She can withstand anything. This child is going to have the easiest adulthood because sheâs had a tough go of it early on.â
Weâre wishing Hope nothing but good health and all the love to the family as they navigate their new normal. It sounds like sheâs got endless love and support around her, which is what all kids (and parents!) deserve during lifeâs tough times.