Hoda Kotb loves to share how special her daughters Haley Joy and Hope Catherine are to her, and viewers got to see the love she has for them in real-time.
The Today show host released her children's book Hope Is a Rainbow on March 5, and to mark the occasion, she shared some details about the work with her co-star Jenna Bush Hager. As the two talked about what it was like for Hoda to write the book, Jenna had a surprise for Hoda. She announced Hope had recorded a sweet message to share with her mom on the show.
"We know that this was written with Hope as an inspiration," Jenna told Hoda in a clip posted on Instagram. "Just take a quick look."
When Hope appeared on screen in the pre-taped video, Hoda (and viewers) saw the 4-year-old holding a copy of the book. Hope said congratulations to her mom in the most adorable way, leaving Hoda all choked up.
"I'm so excited for my book to come out, and I love it," she said in the clip. "I know I'm enough because my mommy loves me."
When folks caught wind of the emotional on-air moment, they couldn't believe how sweet it was for Hoda to hear Hope's sentimental message.
"That was really sweet of her saying to her mom," one person wrote on Instagram. "Just perfect — that’s all a parent could ever hope for, for her child(ren) to feel. Kudos to you Hoda," another agreed. "I'm crying again, watching it," a different viewer added.
As folks know, Hoda is often vocal about what it's like to be a mother to two young girls. Fans may also remember Hope went through a health crisis in early 2023, causing Hoda to take time away from Today in order to be with her daughter as she recovered from a stay in the ICU.
When speaking about the relationship she has with her daughters to People in March, Hoda praised Hope for the person she's becoming despite her struggles so early on in her life.
"Hope is just intuitive and smart, and I’ve never seen someone who’s quite as generous," she told the outlet. "She’s the kid who gives away her last blueberry. If your toy is broken, she’ll give you her new one. She is that person."
As the entertainment and news associate editor for Good Housekeeping, Adrianna (she/her) writes about everything TV, movies, music and pop culture. She graduated from Yeshiva University with a B.A. in journalism and a minor in business management. She covers shows like The Rookie, 9-1-1 and Grey's Anatomy, though when she’s not watching the latest show on Netflix, she’s taking martial arts or drinking way too much coffee.
