Hoda Kotb Opens up About Daughter Hope’s Illness and Constant Monitoring
"We're in a place where Hope is thriving," Hoda revealed to 'People.'
Published Oct. 10 2024, 3:48 p.m. ET
After dedicating 16 solid years to The Today Show, Hoda Kotb announced in September 2024 that she would be bidding the show adieu in early 2025. Her time on the show has greatly expanded her fanbase and occasionally offered viewers a glimpse into her personal life. While Hoda prefers to keep certain matters private, she revealed in 2023 that her daughter, Hope, 5, experienced a medical crisis but kept the details under wraps.
After taking some time away from the show to focus on her daughter and her health, Hoda updated fans on the situation without diving into specifics. Fast forward to mid-October 2024, and Hoda is ready to share another update on her daughter's health. So, what illness does she have?
What illness does Hoda Kotb's daughter Hope have?
Hoda has chosen not to disclose the specific illness affecting her youngest daughter, Hope, but she assures fans that she is “thriving” and “improving,” according to an interview with People. Since moving from New York City to Westchester, the Today show host notes that she has seen “great differences” in their lives since moving to the suburbs.
Hoda opened up to People, sharing that Hope is improving. "We're watching her, and I think as time goes on, we'll have a better handle on it, but we're already seeing great differences," she said.
She added, "We really have excellent care; I have people helping us out. I feel like she is finding steady footing."
In mid-2024, Hoda decided to swap her life in the big city for a small-town lifestyle that offers her daughters grass and a yard to play in, as well as the opportunity to "ride bikes down the street and run up and down the stairs," the TV host divulged to People.
Hoda Kotb's daughter spent two weeks in the ICU in February 2023.
Although Hoda prefers not to delve too deeply into her daughter's illness, a few details emerged when she opened up to People in the March 2024 issue about the devastating time she had to take two weeks off work to care for Hope, who was placed in the ICU.
"We had a scary stretch," Hoda recalled over a year after the incident. “Any parent who’s been through a scary thing with their child understands. It’s like you just can’t believe that your child’s sick. You can’t believe that there’s nothing you can do.”
Since that incident, Hoda has been continuously monitoring her daughter to ensure her well-being isn’t compromised, per People. She also shared that she’s brought on more help to keep up with her busy schedule. It seems Hoda is choosing to keep Hope’s health diagnosis private to avoid her being labeled.
She explained, “It’s really tricky, because I don’t want Hope to get labeled. She’s a kid who is so vibrant, and most days everything is totally fine. I don’t want people to look at her differently.”
Like any parent, Hoda worries about her child’s health but doesn’t want to pass that burden onto Hope. “It’s too much for a kid to carry,” Hoda admitted, revealing that she rarely gets deep sleep as she subconsciously listens for her daughter’s monitors to go off.
But it seems that since Hoda made the move and will soon be more available, it’s all paying off.
