“A New Chapter Full of Hope”: Jenna Bush Hager Moved to Tears as Hoda Kotb Prepares for Emotional Return to Spotlight
September 24, 2025

For Jenna Bush Hager, it was supposed to be a routine rehearsal. A run-through. A checklist of cues and transitions. But as the lights dimmed and her longtime co-host and friend Hoda Kotb walked onto the empty set, something shifted. Emotions took over.

“It wasn’t just a rehearsal—it was a reminder of everything we’ve been through,” Jenna shared, her voice cracking with emotion. “Seeing Hoda walk onto that stage again, knowing all she’s endured for her daughter—it broke me in the best way. It was beautiful, it was brave.”

After months away from the public eye, Hoda Kotb is returning to host one of the most significant events of her career—a national live special focusing on family resilience and chronic illness in children. It’s her first major public appearance since she quietly stepped away from TODAY in early 2025 to care for her daughter, Hope Catherine, following a life-altering diabetes diagnosis.

A Pause for Family

For viewers who’ve grown accustomed to Kotb’s warm laugh and grounding presence on morning television, her absence earlier this year was sudden but deeply understandable. In February, Hoda took indefinite leave from TODAY after revealing that her youngest daughter had been diagnosed with type 1 diabetes.

The diagnosis meant daily injections, blood sugar monitoring, and a total lifestyle overhaul—not just for Hope, but for the entire family.

“When your child is hurting, nothing else matters,” Kotb said in a past interview. “I knew I had to step back and just be Mom. Not anchor, not host—just Mom.”

Fans rallied around her, flooding social media with words of support. Her colleagues respected the silence, offering updates only when Hoda felt ready to share. And Jenna—her on-air partner and off-air confidante—stood by her side throughout it all.

Rehearsals Mark More Than Just a Return

Now, seven months later, the stage is set—literally and emotionally—for Kotb’s return. And no one feels the weight of it more than Jenna.

“You don’t realize how much strength someone has until you watch them walk through fire with grace,” Jenna said, holding back tears. “This isn’t just a comeback. It’s a new beginning—full of hope, strength, and purpose.”

The pair have been rehearsing tirelessly for the upcoming special, which will air this weekend on NBC. Titled “Hope Lives Here: Stories of Strength,” the program will spotlight families across the country living with chronic childhood illnesses, with a special focus on access to care, emotional resilience, and medical advancements.

But it’s more than just journalism. For Hoda, it’s personal.

A Story She Now Lives

Hoda Kotb has always been known for telling others’ stories. Whether it was from a war zone or a hospital room, she built her career on empathy and connection. Now, for the first time, she finds herself inside the story.

“I used to interview parents dealing with childhood illness, and I always admired their strength,” Hoda recently said in a behind-the-scenes interview. “I never imagined I’d be one of them.”

The experience has changed her—but not in the way one might expect. Those closest to her say she’s more grounded than ever, more focused, more present. And she’s bringing that clarity to the project with Jenna.

“We cried during rehearsals. We cried during edits. But they were tears of understanding, of hope,” Jenna explained. “These stories matter more now because we’ve lived them.”

A Friendship Forged in Real Life

On TODAY, Hoda and Jenna have always shared a rare chemistry—warm, authentic, sometimes goofy, but deeply rooted in mutual respect. Off-camera, their friendship has grown even stronger through the trials of the past year.

“We’ve gone through motherhood together, career highs and lows, and now this,” Jenna said. “There were days Hoda would call me from the hospital, exhausted and scared, and we’d just sit in silence on the phone. That’s friendship.”

Now, as they prepare to step back into the spotlight together, the two women are leaning on one another in new ways. Their rehearsals have been filled with emotion, laughter, and more than a few quiet pauses to just breathe.

“We’re not trying to be perfect,” Jenna added. “We’re just trying to be present—and that’s enough.”

Hope, Purpose, and Looking Ahead

While the event this weekend marks a professional milestone for Hoda, it also signals a shift in how she approaches her role in media.

“I used to want to inform. Now, I want to heal,” Hoda said. “I want to use this platform to tell stories that uplift, that remind people they’re not alone.”

Viewers can expect powerful interviews, emotional stories, and—true to form—moments of lightness and joy. But above all, the special is a testament to perseverance, love, and starting again when life doesn’t go as planned.

As for what’s next, neither Hoda nor Jenna are in a rush to define it.

“We’re taking it one day at a time,” Jenna said. “But I do know this—Hoda’s comeback isn’t about returning to who she was. It’s about embracing who she’s become.”