Inside Al Roker and Wife Deborah Roberts' Love Story

Al Roker and his wife have been married for over 27 years and are still going strong. While the 68-year-old Today weatherman and the 62-year-old journalist have faced some challenges as of late due to Roker's recent health scares, their love story stands the test of time.

Here's a look at their romance. 

How They Met

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Roker and Roberts first met at Today in 1990. "Al was so sweet," she told People in 1999. "He showed me pictures of his daughter and talked about his family."

When They Started Dating

While they met in 1990, Roker didn't ask Roberts out until 1992 and only after she asked him to look after her apartment while she was in Barcelona covering the Summer Olympics for NBC.

"A day before she got back from her trip, I stocked her pantry, I stocked her refrigerator and left some flowers on the table and a note, 'Welcome home,'" Roker recalled on The Kelly Clarkson Show in 2021. "And then I got my first date with her a week later."

The Proposal

Roker proposed on New Year's Day in 1994. 

"Deborah was getting a little annoyed that it hadn't happened over the holidays. We had a chat, 'So when will this happen?' And I said, 'Before Groundhog Day,'" he told People, recalling how he proposed at the Grand Canyon. "I thought, what a great place. On the rim of the Grand Canyon. And if she says, 'No,' one of us isn't coming back."

Roker and Roberts Marry

On Sept. 16, 1995, Roker and Roberts tied the knot New York City's St. Thomas Episcopal Church. Barbara Walters and Katie Couric among the guests.

In 2020, Roker shared a video to Instagram of his wedding day, writing, "A #happy25thanniversary to @debrobertsabc who helps me a better #father #brother #person and challenges me to do better each and every day. #thankyou and #iloveyou."

Their Children

The two are parents to daughter 24-year-old Leila and 20-year-old son Nicholas. Roker has another child, Courtney, with ex-wife Alice Bell.

Roker's Health Battles

In November 2020, just a few months after celebrating their 20th wedding anniversary, Roker announced that he was diagnosed with prostate cancer. 

"It's a good news–bad news kind of thing," he said on Today. "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."

At the time, he shared that Roberts was not at the appointment when he was diagnosed. "I feel badly because I didn't tell Deborah to come with me," he noted. "In hindsight, boy I wish I'd told her to come. ...She was upset. And once she got past that, the reporter in her kinda took over. And then she's been at everything ever since."

Later that month, Roker underwent surgery with his wife by his side. "Let the healing begin. I am so in awe of this guy and his indomitable spirit. So blessed and grateful for avalanche of love, prayers and support for @alroker #gratitude," Roberts wrote on Instagram.

After the surgery, Roker announced that he was cancer free. "It was this great relief," he said on Today. "For a first start, this is terrific news. I'm going to be up for -- and a lot of people who live with cancer -- up for lifelong testing to make sure this doesn't come back."

In November 2022, Roker faced another health battle when he was hospitalized for blood clots in his legs and lungs. Roberts was again by his side.

"You are the shining sun and star in our family @alroker Love you so much. Can't wait til you're back home and feeling like your old self again," she posted to Instagram.

Roker was later released from the hospital but ended up being readmitted just after Thanksgiving. After a few more weeks in the hospital, he was able to go home and be with his family for Christmas. 

"Holiday Hello. #joyful moments filled with #gratitude #health," Roberts posted. 

Roker the Romantic

The weatherman knows how to keep the spark alive in his decades-long marriage. 

"He's a real romantic," Roberts told People of her husband in 2021. "When I travel, I open my suitcase and I find one or two notes in there that he's slipped in, or in my purse. 'Have a great day. I'm thinking of you.' Or an Emily Dickinson sonnet or something. And I'm just like, 'Oh my gosh.' It just touches me. And he thinks that way all the time.

She added, "He does things like he sprinkles little love notes, little cards throughout my life. Sometimes there's a little card next to the coffee maker that might say something encouraging or sweet or impish or fun."

For more on Roker and his family, check out the links below.

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