‘Terrified’ Hoda Kotb Had Ex-Fiance Joel Schiffman By Her ‘Side’ Amid Daughter Hope’s ICU Stay

usmagazine.com:

Worried for her baby. Hoda Kotb took a leave of absence from Today while her 3-year-old daughter Hope was hospitalized in the ICU.“Hoda had been terrified for Hope the last couple of weeks,” a source exclusively reveals in the new issue of Us Weekly. “Hoda has dropped everything and focused on being there for her youngest — by her hospital bed — and taking care of anything she could need.

Hope is better now and recovering at home.”The insider added that the broadcast journalist, 58, had the support of her ex-fiancé, Joel Schiffman — with whom she shares Hope and older daughter Haley, 6, — and coanchor Savannah Guthrie during the challenging time.“Joel has been by their side as well,” the source said of the financier, who split from Kotb in December 2021 after eight years together. “Savannah [and Hoda] are truly great friends on and off camera and Savannah was constantly checking in and seeing how she could help in anyway.”Kotb sparked concern among fans after taking an extended hiatus from Today beginning in February.

Substitute anchors Craig Melvin and Sheinelle Jones explained her absence on March 1, when the Oklahoma native had been off the air for over a week.“We know a lot of you have been wondering how she’s doing.

We can tell you that Hoda’s OK. She’s got a family health matter that she’s been dealing with, so we look forward to seeing Hoda and Savannah back at the desk real, real soon,” Melvin, 43, explained during the program.Joel Schiffman and Hoda KotbKotb returned to the morning talk show on Monday, March 6, and opened up about her daughter’s health scare.“My youngest [daughter], Hope, was in the ICU for a few days and in the hospital for a little more than a week,” the Emmy winner told Guthrie, 51. “I’m so