Hoda Kotb Posts School Drop-Off Photos with Her Daughters Following Departure from Today
Hoda Kotb is embarking on her first week away from Today exactly as she intended: by cherishing moments with her children.
Kotb, 60, recently shared sweet photos of herself dropping her daughters, Haley, 8, and Hope, 5, off at school through Instagram on Tuesday, January 14. She captioned the post, “School drop!!! Let’s goooo!” including individual selfies with each of her daughters.
She also showed support for her Today program by sporting a Today With Hoda & Jenna beanie during the drop-off. Haley sported a beanie that read “joy,” while Hope’s winter hat displayed her name.
Kotb uploaded a video where she can be heard shouting “I love you” and raising her coffee thermos as her daughters entered their school. As Hope ran to catch up with her older sister, she called out, “Hopey, wait!”
Before posting her school drop-off photos, Kotb shared an uplifting message for her followers in the morning. “Good morning! Happy Tuesday — Sometimes just doing a little something … is enough xo,” she wrote in another Instagram post.
Kotb expressed her enthusiasm for taking her kids to school weeks prior to announcing her departure from Today in September 2024. “We went for our first day of school, I carried a coffee and I had sneakers on, and I walked my kids to school like normal people,” she revealed during an episode of Hoda & Jenna. “It was awesome.”
Kotb cited her desire to spend more time with her children, whom she shares with ex-fiancé Joel Schiffman, as a key reason for her Today exit. “I had my kiddos later in life, and I thought they deserve a bigger slice of my time pie,” she stated during her exit announcement on the NBC morning show in September 2024. “We have a finite amount of time. And this decision has been incredibly challenging.”
Haley and Hope joined their mother on camera during her final Today episode on Friday, January 10. During the second hour of the show, the family was greeted by Kermit the Frog, who performed their favorite song, “Rainbow Connection.” Later on Hoda & Jenna, Haley and Hope sat with family and friends in the live studio audience.
Kotb’s last week at Today was filled with heartfelt reunions, meaningful gifts, and emotional tributes. Celebrities like Simone Biles, Maria Shriver, Gayle King, Jimmy Fallon, former cohost Kathie Lee Gifford, and Walker Hayes joined to celebrate her momentous occasion on her final day.
“I’ve become who I am on this hour of the show, and you’ve been with me throughout this journey,” Kotb read from a heartfelt letter she penned to fans in a prerecorded video package on Friday’s Hoda & Jenna. “As I sit here today in these final moments of my final day, I want to express my deepest gratitude from my full heart for this incredible journey. I love you all.”
In the closing moments of Friday’s Hoda & Jenna episode, Kotb drove away from 30 Rockefeller Plaza with her daughters in her minivan. Attached to the back of the vehicle were cans and a sign reading “Just Repotted.”
On Monday, January 14, Kotb honored her successor, Craig Melvin, on his first day as Savannah Guthrie’s new co-anchor on Today by writing him a poem that he shared on-air.
“Craig! I’m moving forward, so reach back your hand. Grab the baton, your world will expand. The adventures are endless … the people so dear. Great memories await, year after year,” she wrote. “Day One! You are surrounded by love. Your team is like a dream come true. Savannah, Al, and Carson are right here! With team members like these, your runway is clear. From the plaza to the heart of 30 Rock, your excited fans can’t wait to watch the clock. The time has come to shine bright like the sun. I am cheering for you and wishing for a fabulous journey ahead! XOXO, Hoda.”
