Hoda Kotb is opening up more about her youngest daughter’s health battle and how they all are coping as a family.
As Mamas Uncut previously reported, last year, Kotb was absent from the Today Show anchor desk for two weeks while her youngest daughter, Hope, was cared for in an ICU.
While Kotb is keeping the specifics of Hope’s health issues private, in an interview with People, Kotb revealed it’s still a day-to-day battle for Hope.
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“We had a scary stretch. 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,” Kotb admitted to People.
“You can’t believe that there’s nothing you can do. You can’t believe that no matter what you do, you can’t will it away or protect her, or all the things that we’re supposed to be doing as parents. And it’s a position I’ve never found myself in.”
Thankfully, Hope was able to leave the hospital and get back to a somewhat normal life. While Hope is still the “intuitive and smart” kid who will “give you her last blueberry” she’s always been, Kotb reveals she and her doctors continue to “manage Hope’s health” daily.
“Things have stabilized,” Kotb reassured her fans about Hope’s health, revealing that extra help was hired in order to make sure it’s their number one priority. With that said, Kotb’s priority is also to make sure Hope lives as normal of a life as possible.
“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.”
Kotb admits that she has to real her own concerns for her daughter in as well, adding that as Hope’s mom she hasn’t slept through the night, always listening for Hope’s monitors to go off.
“I’m not going to put my worry on her. It’s too much for a kid to carry. Even just always saying, ‘How are you feeling? You feeling good today, honey?’ is saying, ‘I’m worried,’ because you’re not saying that about your other child. I’ll be discussing how it’s going with the nanny, the nurse, whoever, and if she’s there, she’s like, ‘Am I okay?’ I’m trying so hard to let her be a kid and not have all of the grown-up worries.”
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But at the same time, with this new level of stress, Kotb admits she’s also trying to find time for herself because when “you’re dead on your feet …. You’re nothing to nobody.”
“I feel like you need one day to recharge. And I realized when I wasn’t doing that, I was so depleted,” the mom of two said.
And there are several ways Kotb has spent her “me time,” whether it be meditation, going on dates, or leaning into her faith by teaching her daughters about God.
“I tell them, ‘God’s everywhere.’ And I think it’s been helpful to Hope, especially during this kind of period in her life,” Kotb explained.
“She likes to be protected. She looks up sometimes, and I go, ‘What are you looking at? What’s that?’ She goes, ‘Angels are here.’ And I go, ‘Where?’ She goes, ‘Here.’ And I’m laying there. I’m as quiet as I can be not to disturb the most beautiful moment.”
Kotb admits they aren’t “out of the woods” yet when it comes to Hope’s health struggles. Nonetheless, the mom wholeheartedly believes Hope’s battle will have “served a purpose.”
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“I look at her, and I think, ‘Wow, you blossomed into this incredible kid who is so resilient and well-equipped for her whole life despite this stuff that has happened to her.’”
Kotb knows her daughter “can withstand anything.” And because of that Kotb knows Hope will be just fine.
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