As most of you know, Hoda Kotb left the ‘Today‘ show in January of 2025. Even though she gave everyone a warning beforehand, it was still a bit of a shock because her and her co-host, Jenna Bush Hager, had such a good thing going on. They had the best ratings in morning television.
Hoda explained she wanted to spend more time with her two daughters: Haley, 8, and Hope, 6. She wanted to move them out of the city, so they could live a “normal” life.
But now we’re learning there was a little more to the decision. In a cover story for PEOPLE, Hoda revealed her daughter Hope was diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes.
It’s kind of constant care for Hope. We’re monitoring her 24/7. She was getting shots — four or five a day — every day for a year. Now she is getting them less frequently because we have some other means to get her what she needs, but there’s a lot to it. Some kids can have sweets, and she can’t. If she’s up in the night, we have to take care of her at night.
You can imagine how difficult it would be trying to take care of her, while also driving to the city every morning to film a talk show. She had to wake up at 3:15 every morning just to make sure she was on set on time. She was understandably exhausted.
I really wanted to and needed to be here to watch over her. So whenever she needs anything, and it can happen at night, multiple times, I’m up — I’m up up up. But I would never, ever want Hope to one day grow up and say, ‘Oh, my mom left her job because [of me].’ It wasn’t that alone. But if you look at it cumulatively, it was a part of that decision.
I don’t think anyone can find fault in her decision. Family and health come first!
