Al Roker returned to the Today Show on Wednesday – two days after his daughter, Courtney Roker Laga revealed they had suffered a family loss.
The 70-year-old was back in action on the NBC show after his absence on Tuesday following the death of his ex-wife, and Courtney's mother, Alice Bell, who passed away aged 77.
While Al refrained from mentioning Alice's death on the show, he did share a smiling selfie with Philadelphia Eagles quarterback, Jalen Hurts, on Instagram.
Al was "thrilled" to meet Jalen after the Eagles stormed to victory against the Kansas City Chiefs during the Super Bowl on February 9.
"What a thrill meeting #superbowl champion #mvp @philadelphiaeagles quarterback @jalenhurts this morning at the @todayshow," he captioned the photo of them both beaming for the camera.
While Al kept his feelings about his ex-wife's death to himself, his NBC colleagues sent messages of condolences to Courtney after she shared the upsetting news on Instagram.
© InstagramAlongside family snapshots of herself and Alice, she wrote: "She was my mother, my heart, and the most loving grandmother to Sky. I was with her for her last breath, and I will carry her love with me always."
Al's former co-host Tamron Hall replied: "Sending our love," and Today contributor Joy Bauer also sent, "So much love".
© InstagramCourtney didn't reveal Alice's cause of death but many of the images showed her mom with a breathing tube as she played with her granddaughter, Sky.
Courtney is Al's only daughter with Alice, with the former couple adopting the now 38-year-old in 1987.
© InstagramThe two met while they both worked at WNBC – Alice was a producer for Live at Five and Al was a weatherman – according to the Daily News.
The pair married in 1984, though little is known about their marriage or Alice's personal life. Five years after adopting Courtney, Al and Alice separated and finalized their divorce in 1995.
© InstagramAl went on to meet his longtime wife, Deborah Roberts, in 1995 and they share a daughter Leila, and son Nick.
Courtney was only around seven years old when she first met Deborah. The ABC journalist reflected on how her relationship with her stepdaughter changed and evolved over time in a Mother's Day post.
© InstagramSharing several snapshots of Courtney through the years, Deborah wrote: "Many, many years ago I met this little beauty. We weren't sure what to make of each other. But soon, a connection was made which deepened into a warm and loving relationship."
She added: "I count myself fortunate to have you in my life."
Courtney returned the favor on Mother's Day in 2022, calling Deborah an "important woman" in her life.
© Instagram"Happy Mother's Day to the three most important women in my life," she wrote. "My mom Alice, my stepmother Deborah and my mother in law Barbara."
Courtney made Al and Alice grandparents in 2023 when she and her husband, Wesley Laga welcomed their first baby, Sky.
