Olympic Love: Today Show Anchors Receive Sweet Messages from Their Kids
Hoda Kotb, Savannah Guthrie, and Craig Melvin, the trio of presenters anchoring the *Today
show's coverage of the 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris, received a much-needed dose of love and support from their families back home.
A week into the Games, the anchors were surprised with heartwarming videos from their children during Friday's broadcast. The clips were shown at the top of the 8 a.m. hour, bringing a welcome touch of home to their Parisian experience.
Melvin's son Delano, 10, and daughter Sybil, 7, whom he shares with wife Lindsay Czarniak, started the heartwarming messages. "Hi Dad," they said, their voices filled with affection. "We miss you and love you very much."
Kotb's two daughters, Haley Joy, 7, and Hope Catherine, 5, were decked out in Team USA attire, Haley Joy even sporting a leotard similar to the ones worn by the women's gymnastics team. "Hi Mommy, we love you and miss you," they said, their voices filled with excitement. "Go Team USA! Go U.S.A.!"
Guthrie's children, son Charley, 7, and daughter Vale, 9, with husband Michael Feldman, also sent their love. "Weâre counting down the days until we see you again," said Vale, followed by Charley's sweet message, "I miss you and I love you." They concluded their message with a rousing "Go Team USA!"
Back in the studio, the visibly emotional trio acknowledged their families' touching gestures. "Oh, okay. Weâre going to need some tissues!" exclaimed Guthrie, wiping away a tear. "We miss home, we love them!"
Guthrie confessed that the surprise took her by surprise. "You know whatâs so funny? I heard those voices in our ears before we came on and I was like, âThat sounds like Vale and Charley.' But then I just was like, âThat couldnât be â Iâm dreaming!'"
Kotb, overwhelmed with emotion, shared her gratitude. "That was so sweet," she said, her voice choked with emotion. "We want to say thank you to our control room for doing that for us. That was really sweet."
Melvin, echoing their sentiments, expressed his love for his children. "We love being here obviously, but we miss them," he said, blowing a kiss to the camera. "I miss you too guys, I love you."
The *Today
show's Paris broadcast continues through Friday, August 9th. Along with Al Roker, the team has been bringing viewers comprehensive coverage of the Olympics, national news, and exclusive interviews with American athletes.
The team has also been exploring some of Paris' most iconic landmarks, including the Palace of Versailles, and indulging in the City of Light's culinary delights with special correspondent Ina Garten.
NBCUniversal is the home of the Olympics, with events airing across its channels and streaming on Peacock. On Monday, August 12th, *Today
will return to its New York City studio to celebrate Kotb's 60th birthday.
*Today
airs weekdays starting at 7 a.m. ET. For ongoing coverage of the Olympics and Paralympics, visit people.com, sign up for their *Going for Gold* newsletter, and watch the Games on NBC and Peacock.
