‘Today’ Anchor Reveals They Donated Blood to Al Roker During Past ‘Health Issues’

Craig Melvin has always been there for his friend Al Roker.

Melvin revealed on Monday’s episode of TODAY that he once donated blood to his friend and colleague during one of the weather presenter’s past health crises.

Melvin, who has been a “regular blood donor for years,” kicked off the week with a segment about the importance of blood donation. It was a sentiment that hit home for Roker, who noted at the top of the third hour that he is a “living example of being a recipient of those donations during my health issues.”

Melvin recalled, “That’s right, because I came over and gave. I wanted to make sure it was earmarked for you.”

Roker joked in response, “Yeah, in fact, after I got Craig’s blood, I started talking slower and I started drinking more bourbon. So, bonus!”

While Roker didn’t go into more detail about the specific health problems Melvin helped him out with, the NBC personality has had several scares over the years.

After undergoing bypass surgery in 2012, Roker announced in November 2020 that he had been diagnosed with prostate cancer. Two years later, Roker was hospitalized after doctors discovered blood clots in his leg and lungs, which caused him to miss hosting the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade for the first time in 27 years.

When Roker returned to the TODAY show, he revealed that he had “lost half [his] blood” during the “life-threatening” medical crisis.

After discovering he had two bleeding ulcers, Roker’s doctors rushed to resection his colon, remove his gallbladder and redo his duodenum in his small intestine.

“I lost half my blood. They were trying to figure out where it was,” Roker said at the time, joking that he “went in for one operation [and] got four free.”

Roker’s wife, Deborah Roberts, added, “I have to say — I’m not overstating it, I don’t think — Al was a very, very sick man. And I think most people did not know that.”