In a deeply personal moment on the "Today" show, Hoda Kotb took a moment to honor her late father, Abdel Kader Kotb, whose birthday would have been celebrated on May 29th. Sharing her emotions with both the audience and her co-host Jenna Bush Hager, Hoda reflected on the bittersweet nature of remembering a parent who has passed away. It’s a universal experience that resonates with anyone who has ever lost a parent, no matter how much time has passed.
Hoda Kotb Reflects on Her Dad’s Legacy
During the May 29th broadcast, Hoda, now 59 years old, paused to share her feelings with the audience and her co-host, Jenna Bush Hager. “Today would have been my dad’s birthday,” Hoda began, her voice tinged with emotion. “And I think anyone who has lost a parent knows that moment when the birthdays come around. It doesn’t matter how many years have passed; those milestones always feel significant.”
A Life Cut Short, but Never Forgotten
Hoda’s father passed away in 1985, when she was just a college student. “I was doing some math earlier,” she explained, her eyes welling up with tears. “He would have been 91 today. Isn’t that incredible when you think about it? It’s amazing how we mark time from that moment forward. You start asking yourself, ‘How many years has it been? How many birthdays have we missed?’ It’s a constant reminder of what we’ve lost, but also of the legacy he left behind.”
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As Jenna Bush Hager, 42, gently pointed out, Hoda’s father would have been incredibly proud of the life she has built, especially as a mother to her daughters, Haley and Hope. Hoda, who adopted her children with her former partner Joel Schiffman, couldn’t help but get emotional at the thought. “He would have been so proud,” Jenna said softly, her voice filled with empathy. Hoda nodded, her eyes glistening with unshed tears.
A Moment That Changed Everything
In a candid conversation on Minnie Driver’s podcast, "Minnie Questions," back in June 2021, Hoda recounted the devastating moment when her brother, Adel, broke the news of their father’s death. She was at a sorority formal at Virginia Tech when her brother rushed in, clearly upset. “He said, ‘Come outside,’ but I knew something was wrong,” Hoda remembered. “I told him, ‘No, just tell me what’s going on.’ And then he said it: ‘Dad had a heart attack. He’s gone.’”
“It was like my world stopped,” Hoda continued. “You couldn’t even process what was happening. It was surreal, like you were living in a dream—or a nightmare. And then it hit me: my dad was gone. Forever.”
“It was like you couldn’t even compute what was going on,” Hoda added, her voice filled with the weight of that memory. “And it’s funny, it was the worst thing in the world, but it shaped me in ways I never imagined.”
Pushing Forward Without the "Attagirl"
Hoda explained that losing her father at such a young age fueled her drive to succeed in her career. “You always want that pat on the back from your dad, that ‘attagirl’ moment,” she said. “Throughout my career, I think there were probably a few spots where he probably would’ve said, ‘Well, good for you, you did it.’ And then I would’ve been done.”
“But instead, without that validation, you’re left with this feeling that there’s more to achieve, more mountains to climb,” she continued. “And while it can be tough to push yourself for something that feels out of reach, it’s led me to some incredible places. Now, I have this beautiful family, and all these amazing things have happened because of it. So, in a way, losing him was life-changing. It gave me this drive, but it also left me with unfinished business.”
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