“For just a couple of minutes, we got silly and enjoyed the breather!” said Deborah Roberts, reminiscing about the moment.
Al Roker and Deborah Roberts revealed a touching tale relating to one of their most cherished wedding pictures. In the most recent edition of PEOPLE, the dynamic couple shared a favorite candid photo from their 1995 wedding. The hilarious image of Al and Roberts holding hands and grinning broadly was originally shared by Roberts on Instagram. Roberts broke down the happy occasion and outlined why it has always held special meaning for them, per TODAY. “While taking our photos outside Essex House, we stepped into the street and lunged towards the camera,” she said, adding that the two call it "running toward our future."
The 62-year-old said the picture was taken at their wedding, which both of their vast families attended, and that it was a “rare unguarded moment.” She said, “For just a couple of minutes we got silly and enjoyed the breather!” In September 2018, Roberts shared the image on Instagram to mark their anniversary and included a heartfelt note for her spouse. "This photo says it all. For 23 years now this guy and I have been charging through life together. Highs... lows...curves..but always with passion, humor and intention. Happy anniversary to my 'been there-done that' dear friend and soulmate," she wrote.
Al reflected on the special occasion on the third hour of TODAY on February 1 and said his wife still looks "exactly the same" after all these years. "It was Deborah's idea. The photographer was saying Let's go out. our reception was at the Essex House, we got down at Central Park South and just ran down. That was just kind of a moment to ourselves," Al said.
The couple has been through a tumultuous time given Al's serious health condition getting him hospitalized over the last few months. The 68-year-old weather anchor returned to TODAY in January and thanked his wife for helping him through trying times. "Thank god for Deborah," Roker credited her, adding, "She basically shielded me from all of this." He further mentioned that he "was able to put all my energy into recuperating because I didn't know how bad this was. ... I thought I was doing well!"
In a segment of Maria Shriver's online series Conversations Above the Noise with Maria, the couple made an appearance. Al claimed that Roberts and his kids offered him a "gift" by handling all of the communications with his doctors. “By not having to dwell on that, I could focus on the positive,” he said, adding that it let him focus more on getting better. I’m not saying people who don’t do well don’t have a positive attitude. But I do think that that’s a factor. But to have someone to be able to take the other stuff away so that you can focus ... healing (is priceless),” he said.
References:
https://www.instagram.com/p/Bnx9R8ch0bi/
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3i023zACBxc
https://www.today.com/health/al-roker-wife-staying-positive-health-scare-rcna67386
Cover Image Source: Getty Images | Roy Rochlin
