Al Roker returned to starting his mornings on Today following the death of his ex-wife, Alice Bell.
After skipping the NBC morning show’s Tuesday, February 11, episode, Roker, 70, was back in action on Wednesday, February 12. He snapped a selfie with Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts following the Super Bowl LIX champ’s interview on the show’s first hour.
“What a thrill meeting #superbowl champion #mvp @philadelphiaeagles quarterback @jalenhurts this morning at the @todayshow,” he captioned the Instagram pic on Wednesday.
Roker’s Today return comes two days after his eldest daughter, Courtney Roker Laga, announced Bell’s death via Instagram. “She was my mother, my heart, and the most loving grandmother to Sky,” she captioned photos of herself and 19-month-old daughter, Sky, with Bell over the years. “I was with her for her last breath, and I will carry her love with me always.” (Courtney, 37, shares her daughter with her husband, Wesley Laga.)
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Though Courtney did not confirm her mother’s cause of death, a photo in her post featured Bell using an oxygen tube while holding her granddaughter.
Roker did not address Bell’s death on TV Wednesday, but several of his NBC colleagues offered their condolences in the comments section of Courtney’s post. “Sending our love,” wrote Roker’s former cohost Tamron Hall. Today contributor Joy Bauer wrote that she was sending “So much love
.”
(@ouichefroker)Roker adopted his eldest child with Bell in 1987, three years after they tied the knot. The pair eventually divorced in 1994, after which Roker moved on with Deborah Roberts. The couple wed in 1995 and went on to welcome daughter Leila, 26, and son Nick, 22.
Courtney has celebrated both her mother and stepmother via social media over the years, lovingly calling Roberts, 64, her “bonus mom” in a September 2023 Instagram birthday tribute. “More blessings, love, joy and peace in your life today and forever,” she captioned throwback and recent photos.
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She thanked Roberts again in a May 2022 Mother’s Day Instagram post, calling her one of the “three most important women in my life,” along with Bell and her mother-in-law, Barbara Laga.
Courtney also shares a strong bond with her famous father, who she collaborated with on the October 2024 cookbook Al Roker’s Recipes to Live By.
“Happy 70th Birthday to the man who has been my hero and my biggest supporter,” she wrote via Instagram in August 2024. “Dad, your strength, kindness, patience and love have shaped me into who I am today. I’m so grateful for every moment we’ve shared and all the wisdom you’ve passed down. Cheers to many more years of laughter, love, and memories .”
