Skip to content
Search AI Powered

Latest Stories

Al Roker Shares His Pride In Raising A Son With Special Needs

Al Roker Shares His Pride In Raising A Son With Special Needs
Photo by Bruce Glikas/Bruce Glikas/FilmMagic via Getty Images

Al Roker's son Nick, who is "somewhere on the spectrum and maybe obsessive-compulsive" has faced his share of daily challenges.

But through all that, Roker has made it clear that Nick isn't only someone he feels responsible for, but someone he "admires."


Nick, who was born on July 18th, 2002, had an unclear prognosis on his mental state that left both Roker and his wife, ABC News journalist Deborah Roberts, uncertain for his future.

But as Nick began to develop, Roker said that "proud" didn't even begin to cover how he felt about his son.

"'You must be proud of your son,'" someone will say."
"Yes, I am. More than they'll ever know. The obstacles in this kid's way were things that might have tripped up many others. Not Nick, not even with the disabilities he was born with."






Roker recounts that Nick's disability hardly ever arose and disrupted his progress:

"Nick blossomed, far more than Deborah or I could have ever expected, given his original iffy prognosis. In tae kwon do, you have to master systematic sequences of moves to progress to the next level. Turned out that all those repetitive drills were just the thing for Nick. Where his OCD nature can be a drawback in some situations, it was a strength here. And he proved to be very competitive. 'I'm going to get my black belt,' he told us."







"'Don't push it,' I wanted to say, 'You don't have to aim so high.' You hate to see your kid disappointed. But who were we to hold back our son? His sister Leila was doing tae kwon do too, and maybe he wanted to prove something to her—and to himself."
"He did earn his black belt—Leila got her red belt, one notch below. Deborah and I were pleased for both of them. After that, though, Nick decided he'd achieved his goal and was ready for other challenges. Since then he's been taking swimming, chess and basketball lessons."






"Do I get frustrated with my son sometimes? You bet," Roker wrote.

"But then I remember my dad, how understanding he was. And Deborah reminds me that I have to show my son not only that I love him but that I like him as well. More than that, I admire him."



Roker's feelings are familiar to many families with special needs children.

And for those of us who can't relate, we can relate to the unconditional love and willingness to be surprised that Roker brings to his child.

More from Trending/best-of-reddit

Screenshots of LA parking officer issuing parking ticket
@Osint613/X

Video Of LA Police Officer Still Giving Out Parking Tickets Despite Wildfires Divides Social Media

Thousands of Los Angeles County residents have been forced to evacuate to avoid toxic air inhalation and the encroaching wildfires that have destroyed more than a thousand homes and businesses across the region.

So far, five people have lost their lives. Two of the largest active fires, the Pacific Palisades and the Eaton fires, remain designated 0% containment zones as firefighters continue efforts to extinguish raging flames.

Keep ReadingShow less
Screenshots of Jasmine Crockett and Scott Jennings
CNN

Dem Rep. Blasts CNN Pundit For Griping About 'DEI' Firefighters Amid LA Wildfires

During a CNN appearance on Newsnight with Abby Phillip, Texas Democratic Representative Jasmine Crockett laid into conservative pundit Scott Jennings for insinuating that diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) initiatives to diversify California fire departments are partially to blame for the Los Angeles wildfires.

Deadly wildfires in Los Angeles County remain largely uncontained, with officials reporting at least five confirmed fatalities so far. However, on Thursday, authorities admitted, “frankly, we don’t know” the true extent of the death toll. Evacuation orders are currently affecting nearly 180,000 residents, as thousands of homes and buildings have been destroyed.

Keep ReadingShow less
Screenshot of Jesse Watters
Fox News

Jesse Watters Admits The Real Reason He Supports Trump's Proposal To Annex Canada

Fox News personality Jesse Watters was criticized after exclaiming on The Five that the reason why he supports President-elect Donald Trump's proposal to annex Canada is precisely because Canadians don't want this to happen at all.

Watters' remarks are the latest development since Trump made headlines for jabbing Prime Minister Justin Trudeau with remarks about Canadian statehood.

Keep ReadingShow less
Eric Swalwell; Donald Trump
John Lamparski/Getty Images; Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images

Dem Rep. Hilariously Trolls Trump For Fixation On Canada And Greenland Instead Of Lowering Costs

California Democratic Representative Eric Swalwell had social media users cackling after he trolled President-elect Donald Trump over his threats to take over Canada and Greenland rather than lowering grocery prices as he promised during the campaign.

Swalwell is the latest politician to respond to Trump over the matter since he made headlines for jabbing Prime Minister Justin Trudeau with remarks about Canadian statehood and calling "the ownership and control of Greenland" an "absolute necessity."

Keep ReadingShow less
Man in a tux wearing fancy watch
Charbel Aoun/Unsplash

People Recall The Most Out Of Touch Thing They've Heard Anyone Say

Getting everyone's point of view can be fascinating whenever you're with a group of people engaged in a discussion on a range of topics. However, the occasion can be eye-opening when someone unable to read the room makes a comment that can be interpreted as wildly inappropriate.

In an age where social norms are always challenging the way we engage in discourse, nothing is surprising... except for that one rare instance.

Keep ReadingShow less