Hoda Kotb praises ‘incredibly resilient’ 3-year-old daughter after hospitalization

“Today” co-anchor Hoda Kotb opened up about her daughter Hope’s health, a month after the 3-year-old spent several days in an intensive care unit.

Kotb joined Southern Living Magazine editor-in-chief Sid Evans for Tuesday’s episode of the “Biscuits & Jam” podcast. While reflecting on the strong women in her life, the TV host said she doesn’t have to worry much about passing her strength down to her children.

“My daughters are strong women already,” Kotb said. “You know my daughter Hope had a health scare but she’s getting better. I think I didn’t realize how much is already in you when it comes to your strength.”

She continued: “To watch her go through a difficult time at just 3 years old is really tough for any parent because you’re helpless. But I think you realize just how incredibly resilient and strong she is. She’s teaching me, which is so funny.”

The Daytime Emmy Award winner was absent last month from several episodes of “Today” as she dealt with a “family health matter,” her colleague Craig Melvin told viewers on March 1. She returned to the NBC morning program on March 6 and shared that Hope had fallen ill and was in the intensive care unit “for a few days and in the hospital for a little more than a week.”

“I’m so grateful she’s home,” Kotb said upon returning to the broadcast. “She is back home. I was waiting for that day to come, and we are watching her closely. I’m just so happy.”

Weeks after Hope’s hospitalization, Kotb went on vacation to spend time with her daughters, Hope and 6-year-old Haley, whom she shares with ex-fiancé Joel Schiffman.

In Tuesday’s podcast, Kotb referred to Hope’s medical issue only as a “health scare” and told Evans more about her stint with her young child in the hospital.

“Hope said, ‘You know, I think God put me here to teach people things,’” Kotb recalled. “I said, ‘What? What?’ She said, ‘Yeah, because my brain’s pretty big. I think I’m supposed to teach people things.’”

Kotb added: “I said, ‘Sweetie, you are going to teach people things.’”

The TV personality said that she couldn’t believe what her daughter said and encouraged parents to “learn from our kids.”

“We don’t have to teach anything,” she said, “Just be you, or be a better version of you and learn from them.”

Times staff writer Christi Carras contributed to this report.