Al Roker Absent From 'Today' After Dog Undergoes Emergency Surgery
Al Roker kicked off his week looking after his precious pup.
The TV meteorologist, 69, was absent from the Monday, May 6, episode of the NBC morning show. Roker’s third hour of Today cohost Dylan Dreyer filled in for him during the show’s first two hours, while Sheinelle Jones stepped in for Carson Daly.
One day prior, Roker revealed his and his wife Deborah Roberts’ dog, Pepper, experienced a health scare. “Our little girl, Pepper had emergency surgery but is on the mend,” he captioned Instagram pics of himself and Roberts, 63, with their pooch on Sunday, May 5. “She’s getting great care and is coming home tomorrow. Woof. You can sleep on our bed as much as you want.”
Roberts wrote that her heart was bursting with “gratitude” in her own Instagram post, adding, “Our littlest girl, Pepper, gave us quite a scare. She has survived an emergency surgery. But thankfully, Our strong girl is recovering.
Al Roker, Wife Deborah Roberts Have an 'Unusual' Day: See Their Cute Selfie
She went on to state that she and Roker “are grateful for any and all prayers for our sweet doggie who has stolen our hearts for 12 years now.”
Roker and Roberts adopted Pepper from a Pennsylvania animal rescue in 2012. The couple share kids Leila, 25, and Nick, 21. (Roker shares his eldest child, daughter Courtney, 35, with his ex-wife, Alice Bell.)
Pepper previously joined Roker on Today in March 2020, sitting on his lap as he gave a weather report from his home amid the COVID-19 pandemic. “Pepper says she wants to like your face, Hoda, but she will do it socially distant,” Roker joked to his cohost Hoda Kotb, who replied, “Watching you pet that dog makes me feel better.”
Not long after becoming a grandfather to his granddaughter, Sky, in July 2023, Roker teased that Sky and Pepper competed for his attention. “Pepper still not sure about Sky,” he captioned a December 2023 Instagram pic of his dog sitting behind Sky’s baby carrier. “’Who is this who steals my attention?’”
Pepper appeared on Roker’s Instagram again last month, sporting a pair of eclipse viewing glasses. “Pepper was ready!!!” the TV personality hilariously captioned the Pepper pic.
Roker was previously absent from Today on Friday, May 3, getting a jumpstart on the weekend with fellow hosts Daly, 50, Kotb, 59, and Craig Melvin. One day prior, he encouraged fans to “get those steps in” before the end of the week in an Instagram workout video.
“Let me tell you, this morning, I did not feel like getting on a treadmill. Had to have a little chat with myself, and I said, ‘C’mon, dude. Let’s do it,’” he said in the clip. “And now, 20 minutes later, got stuff done, ready to get the day started. How about you?”
