Al Roker Says He's 'Thankful' to Be at Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade After Missing Last Year's Due to Health Issues

Mar. 15, 2025

‘Today’ host Al Roker discussed his health during this year’s Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade.Photo:Nathan Congleton/NBC via GettyThis year’sMacy’s Thanksgiving Day Paradewas especially meaningful forAl Roker.TheTodayhost acknowledged his appreciation for the tradition andappeared to be in good spiritsat the start of the parade route in New York City’s Upper West Side neighborhood. “I say yay, let’s have a parade!” the 69-year-old said excitedly while corresponding with co-hostsSavannah GuthrieandHoda Kotb.Roker said he was"so grateful"to be at this year’s parade after last year, when a health issue kept him from the festivities.“Look, I missed last year,” he later added. “I am so thankful to be anywhere this year, but especially here.“Roker was absent from the parade in 2022 while he was recovering fromblood clots in his legs and lungs. It was the first time he missed the parade since 1995.Since then, he has shared details of his health journey with fans.“It’s no secret that I had asevere medical issue, and to be completely honest, I almost died. I didn’t know it at the time,” he said during an episode of theYour Mama’s Kitchenpodcast on Audible.“But I missed Thanksgiving, and almost missed Christmas. And I forgot how important those touchstone moments are,” he continued.Never miss a story — sign up forPEOPLE’s free daily newsletterto stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from juicy celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.The host said his Thanksgiving hospitalization made him want to make it to Christmas as a healthier man. “I felt, in a sense, badly because I ruined Thanksgiving for the family and I was not going to let that happen for Christmas,” he said.Roker later added, “It was important to me and gave me something to push for. And I made Christmas dinner.”

‘Today’ host Al Roker discussed his health during this year’s Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade.Photo:Nathan Congleton/NBC via Getty

Nathan Congleton/NBC via Getty

This year’sMacy’s Thanksgiving Day Paradewas especially meaningful forAl Roker.TheTodayhost acknowledged his appreciation for the tradition andappeared to be in good spiritsat the start of the parade route in New York City’s Upper West Side neighborhood. “I say yay, let’s have a parade!” the 69-year-old said excitedly while corresponding with co-hostsSavannah GuthrieandHoda Kotb.Roker said he was"so grateful"to be at this year’s parade after last year, when a health issue kept him from the festivities.“Look, I missed last year,” he later added. “I am so thankful to be anywhere this year, but especially here.“Roker was absent from the parade in 2022 while he was recovering fromblood clots in his legs and lungs. It was the first time he missed the parade since 1995.Since then, he has shared details of his health journey with fans.“It’s no secret that I had asevere medical issue, and to be completely honest, I almost died. I didn’t know it at the time,” he said during an episode of theYour Mama’s Kitchenpodcast on Audible.“But I missed Thanksgiving, and almost missed Christmas. And I forgot how important those touchstone moments are,” he continued.Never miss a story — sign up forPEOPLE’s free daily newsletterto stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from juicy celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.The host said his Thanksgiving hospitalization made him want to make it to Christmas as a healthier man. “I felt, in a sense, badly because I ruined Thanksgiving for the family and I was not going to let that happen for Christmas,” he said.Roker later added, “It was important to me and gave me something to push for. And I made Christmas dinner.”

This year’sMacy’s Thanksgiving Day Paradewas especially meaningful forAl Roker.

TheTodayhost acknowledged his appreciation for the tradition andappeared to be in good spiritsat the start of the parade route in New York City’s Upper West Side neighborhood. “I say yay, let’s have a parade!” the 69-year-old said excitedly while corresponding with co-hostsSavannah GuthrieandHoda Kotb.

Roker said he was"so grateful"to be at this year’s parade after last year, when a health issue kept him from the festivities.

“Look, I missed last year,” he later added. “I am so thankful to be anywhere this year, but especially here.”

Roker was absent from the parade in 2022 while he was recovering fromblood clots in his legs and lungs. It was the first time he missed the parade since 1995.

Since then, he has shared details of his health journey with fans.

“It’s no secret that I had asevere medical issue, and to be completely honest, I almost died. I didn’t know it at the time,” he said during an episode of theYour Mama’s Kitchenpodcast on Audible.

“But I missed Thanksgiving, and almost missed Christmas. And I forgot how important those touchstone moments are,” he continued.

Never miss a story — sign up forPEOPLE’s free daily newsletterto stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from juicy celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.

The host said his Thanksgiving hospitalization made him want to make it to Christmas as a healthier man. “I felt, in a sense, badly because I ruined Thanksgiving for the family and I was not going to let that happen for Christmas,” he said.

Roker later added, “It was important to me and gave me something to push for. And I made Christmas dinner.”

source: people.com