Al Roker has long suffered from numerous health issues, leaving fans concerned about his well-being. The renowned television personality has undergone multiple surgeries in his lifetime, including one to overcome prostate cancer. However, the drastic change in his weight over the years has garnered the most attention from fans. But, what exactly happened to Al Roker?
Here are all the available details regarding Al Roker’s weight loss journey, as well as the surgery he underwent in the process.
Did Al Roker get weight loss surgery?
Al Roker indulged in a gastric bypass surgery in 2002 to shed his excessive weight.
The 69-year-old journalist was inspired to undergo a transformation after the tragic passing of his father, Albert Lincoln Roker Sr., as per Closer Weekly. Al Roker expressed in his 2013 memoir that he felt “guilt and massive responsibility” after making a “deathbed promise” to his father regarding his health. Keeping what happened to his father in mind, Al Roker decided to partake in the surgery and proceeded to the hospital wearing size 54 jeans. Initially weighing 340 lbs, the Today weatherman was able to drop more than 100 lbs through the surgery.
He celebrated the 20th anniversary of the said medical procedure in 2022 by posting a slimmer video of himself on X (formerly Twitter). Roker acknowledged the resulting struggles in the caption and vowed never to go back to his pre-surgery lifestyle.
Despite what happened to Al Roker on the medical front, the veteran TV personality has maintained a healthy lifestyle since his surgery. He regularly documents his fitness journey through Instagram, consistently updating his fans. As reported by People in 2019, Roker managed to lose 40 lbs by maintaining a high-fat, low-carb keto diet.
Having joined NBC’s Today in 1996, Al is still going strong as their designated weather anchor. He also occasionally co-hosts the 3rd Hour Today program.
