Proud dad! Al Roker has nothing but love for his three children: Courtney, Leila and Nick.
“I am so ‘drawn’ to being a father to @ouichefroker @cleilapatra and @nickroker155 and to @debrobertsabc who has given me the gift of this family,” the meteorologist captioned a cartoon photo of his family via Instagram in June 2022.
The Today anchor shares daughter Leila and son Nick with wife Deborah Roberts, who he married in 1995. Roker adopted his daughter Courtney during his previous marriage to Alice Bell, to whom he was married from 1984 to 1994.
In April 2019, Roker revealed in an article he wrote for Guideposts magazine that his son was “somewhere on the spectrum and maybe obsessive-compulsive.” One month later, the weatherman gushed to Us Weekly about how he couldn’t be prouder of Nick.
“He’s one of those people that doesn’t let anything stand in his way,” Roker exclusively told Us at the time. “I don’t think he acknowledges whatever issues he’s got. ‘I’m just going to do this.’ [It’s] so great.”
In January 2020, the television personality admitted he had room to grow when it came to his relationship with his son. “I want to be more patient, I think,” Roker said on the Today show. ”Especially toward the end of the week after I get a little tired, I tend to get a little short with Nick. I’m trying just to be a little more patient with people.”
His fellow Today anchor, Hoda Kotb had nothing but praise and respect for her costar and his relationship with his son. “Al and I had the chance to celebrate New Year’s together and one of the things [now-ex-husband] Joel [Schiffman] and I both marvel at when it comes to you and your family is you and your son, Nick,” the Oklahoma native explained. “I know there are a lot of great father-son relationships out there — there are probably a kazillion people watching right now — [but] watching Nick rest his head on your shoulder may be one of the most beautiful sights that I have ever seen.”
She continued: “Joel and I often talk about you and your son because he’s an incredible kid. We’ve watched him grow over the years. He has an issue that he deals with, and you guys have figured [it] out. … When I watch you with him, I always think you have infinite patience.”
Roker joked to his coworker that she caught him on a “good” day but still wanted “to be a better person” for his family.
“As a lot of parents who have kids with special needs [know], they can try your patience,” he reflected. “Not that they mean to or anything like that. … The thing I love about him, that I admire about him, is that he just kind of attacks it head-on. He’s very goal-oriented, and he’s a great kid.”
Keep scrolling to see Roker’s best moments with all three of his children:
