Craig Melvin once stepped up to bat for his friend and colleague Al Roker in a serious way when the meteorologist was experiencing a slew of health troubles a few years ago.
The pair revealed on Monday’s episode of Today, while Melvin gave blood live on TV to encourage others to donate, too, that he had once directed a donation to the meteorologist in a time of great need.
Roker spoke up as a “living example” of the impact donating blood can have. He’s been very candid about his health over the last several years, recently admitting that he “lost half my blood” during a health crisis in 2022 that resulted in multiple hospitalizations and surgical procedures that nearly killed him.
“That’s right, because I came over and gave,” Melvin replied. “I wanted to make sure it was earmarked for you.”
Roker couldn’t let things get too emotional, though, joking, “Yeah, in fact, after I got Craig’s blood, I started talking slower and I started drinking more bourbon. So, bonus!”
Roker’s health struggles began in 2020, when he had his prostate removed following a cancer diagnosis. Then, in 2022, he required the aforementioned life-saving medical intervention to address bleeding ulcers and blood clots, which also involved the removal of his gall bladder and a bowel resection, keeping him off the air for almost two months. His morning show colleagues welcomed him back with open arms—and a few tears—when he returned during the first week of January 2023.
A few months after returning to Today, he underwent knee replacement surgery, taking another hiatus from the morning show.
Related: Al Roker Teases Craig Melvin on ‘Today’ for His ‘Priceless’ Reaction to Iconic Actress