Al Roker Thanks Craig Melvin for His Life-Saving Blood Donation Amid Health Battles

Al Roker expressed gratitude for the blood donations he received during his health struggles, particularly emphasizing the support from his Today coanchor Craig Melvin.

"I'm a living example of being a recipient of those donations during my health issues," Roker, 70, shared on the Today show on Monday, July 28, after Melvin, 46, donated blood live on-air to inspire others to take action.

Melvin, who stepped into Hoda Kotb's role during the early hours of the Today show this January, recounted his donation experience, joking, "I came over to Al's place and gave him blood before."

"I wanted to make sure it was earmarked for you," Melvin added with humor, prompting Roker's lighthearted response: "Yeah, in fact, after I got Craig's blood, I started talking slower and I started drinking more bourbon. So, bonus!"

Roker's health has been a matter of public concern, especially following his hospitalization due to blood clots in November 2022. This event forced him to miss NBC's coverage of the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade for the first time in 27 years.

Following a brief return home, Roker faced another health scare in December 2022, requiring emergency surgery for internal bleeding from ulcers. During the procedure, doctors removed a section of his colon and gallbladder.

"My doctor said if I had not been in the shape I had been, I would most likely not be here today," Roker told People in June, highlighting the harrowing nature of the experience for him and his wife, Deborah Roberts. "It's the toughest thing we've ever endured as a family and a couple."

In addition to his recent battles, Roker has had a history of health issues. In November 2020, he was diagnosed with aggressive prostate cancer.

"It's a good news-bad news kind of thing," he mentioned during a Today segment at the time. "Good news is we caught it early. Not great news is that it's a little aggressive, so I'm going to be taking some time off to take care of this."

Roker has candidly addressed his health challenges. In 2002, he chose not to disclose his gastric bypass surgery to his Today colleagues, later revealing to USA Today that he had informed them it was related to gallbladder removal.

His journey has not been solitary; Roberts, 64, emerged as his pillar of support, albeit initially concerned about his diagnosis. "Once she got past that, the reporter in her kind of took over. She's been at everything ever since," Roker shared. He went public with his prostate cancer diagnosis to raise awareness, noting that one in seven Black men will face this disease in their lifetimes. "[I want to] let people know they got to get checked."

After successfully undergoing surgery to remove his prostate, lymph nodes and surrounding tissue, Roker was declared cancer-free, marking a hopeful turn in his health journey.