Al Roker Shares New Details of His 'Frightening' Health Crisis and 'Major' 7-Hour Surgery

Al Roker gave new details about the health crisis that kept him away from the Today show for two months upon his celebrated return to the NBC morning news program on Friday.

With wife Deborah Roberts by his side, the 68-year-old weatherman opened up about about his condition, revealing that he underwent an intense 7-hour surgery to "correct a bunch of internal stuff," as he put it.

Roker had no idea his condition was so serious when he first saw doctors in early November to address a few stomach pains.

It quickly escalated into a frightening range of medical issues that left officials baffled at first and sent Roker to the hospital not once, but twice. "Look, I had two complicating things," Roker said on Today. "I had blood clots, which they think came up after I had COVID in September. And then I had this internal bleeding going on, I lost half my blood. They were trying to figure out where it was."

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"Al was a very, very, very sick man ... most people didn't know that, " explained Roberts, 62. "Two doctors led this brilliant team — it was a team — who had to figure out what was happening. He was a medical mystery for a couple of weeks. And it was the must tumultuous, frightening journey we have been on."

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Roker was being treated at NewYork-Presbyterian/Weill Cornell Medical Center. Through surgery, his medical team discovered he had two bleeding ulcers. Doctors resectioned his colon, took out his gallbladder and operated on his duodenum, part of the small intestine.

"I went into for one operation, I got four free," joked Roker. "So I got that going for me."

Fortunately, Roberts — a correspondent for ABC News — took the reins as the lead in Roker's care, working directly with doctors.

"Thank god for Deborah," he said on the third hour of Today. "She basically shielded me from all of this. I'm a living example of ignorance is bliss. I was able to put all my energy into recuperating because I didn't know how bad this was. ... I thought I was doing good!"

"It's not lost on us that this is a major, major thing for Al to be here," Roberts said on Today. "He is a living breathing miracle. And I'm not overstating it, I think."

Theo Wargo/Getty Al Roker

She went on to detail the moment she knew Roker was going to be okay. "Al went through a lot of tests, a lot of scopes," she said. "There was just so much that had to be done, and a major major surgery, if you don't mind me saying. And we were just on pins and needles, every day. I kept everyone abreast — our family, you all. And Al and I were sitting there one day in the hospital… and through this very scratchy voice, and he was so gaunt and exhausted, he said, I'm going to make a 'spatchcock turkey for Christmas.' And I didn't know whether to burst into tears or just to beam."

"That was the moment for me, and it will always be the moment for me, that this man — I mean, I'm sitting here hoping he's going to make it to Christmas and this man, he wants to make a turkey," she recalled. "I just knew at that point, that will, that drive, is so, so strong."

RELATED: Al Roker Celebrates Christmas with His Family After Return from Hospital: 'From Our Family to Yours'

This was Roker's first time in an intensive care unit — and in particular the surgical ICU, he said.

"[We] were extraordinarily concerned about Al," Dr. Felice H. Schnoll-Sussman, Al's gastroenterologist, said in a pre-taped segment on Today. "Extraordinarily concerned. He had a life-threatening experience. I mean, there's just no doubt about that."

Al Roker/instagram Deborah Roberts and Al Roker

He made sure to thank his medical team by name. "I just knew because these doctors — all these doctors, I knew they had my back. And the nurses, the staff ... They were fantastic … Just world- class. I'm blessed, I have great health care."

Roker was also blessed to have Roberts by his side, he noted, though his wife was equally thankful for the well-wishes coming in from those around.

"You also had prayer,' Roberts said. "There was a prayer circle you wouldn't believe. Not only from our family, you all, my colleagues, but perfect strangers. I was walking down the street — anytime I was going someplace, 'I'm praying for your husband.' The amount of good will towards you, I will never, ever ever forget and never take for granted."

"All of you [at Today], all of you at home," Roker gushed. "The prayer, you could feel it."

RELATED: Al Roker Shares a Look at His Newly-Organized Pantry Ahead of Return to the Toda' Show

Roberts opened up, too, about how the experience has changed her, praising how she's so in awe of her husband.

"Al didn't like be vulnerable and weak, in his mind. Through that weakness and his vulnerability, he showed strength, and I will never, ever forget that example," she said, adding that she also learned the importance of patience. "I've never ever been good at patience. I'm ready to get on with it, we all work in television. I have learned the power of patience. We all have to go with that."

"As a guy, you don't want your family to see you're vulnerable. You're supposed to be the strong one," Roker said on the 3rd hour of Today.

He also shared that the experience reminded him of the importance of family, praising daughters Courtney, 35, Leila, 24, and son Nick, 20, for their support. "Lelia spent those first five nights sleeping in the hospital," he said, noting one of those nights was her birthday. "Finally I said, sweetie, you gotta go home!"

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Nathan Congleton/TODAY Al Roker

Roker has been a staple on Today as the program's premier weather anchor since 1996, and previously made appearances as a substitute weathercaster from 1990 to 1995, filling in for the late Willard Scott before his semiretirement.

He's has been absent from Today for several weeks, last appearing on the Nov. 4 broadcast. His two trips to the hospital — both before Thanksgiving — caused him to miss the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade (his first in 27 years) and the annual Christmas Tree Lighting at Rockefeller Center.

He was released on Dec. 8, and has since been undergoing physical therapy to recover.

Those almost daily sessions are continuing now, Roker said on Friday, "just to get the strength back." He's also on blood thinners.

His recovery has gone more smoothly thanks to his participation over the last year in the Start TODAY walking group, in which he walked more than 10,000 steps a day for more than 200 days straight. "Each of my doctors said, if I wasn't in the shape that I was in, this might've been a different outcome," Roker shared.

Nathan Congleton/TODAY Carson Daly, Craig Melvin, Savannah Guthrie, Al Roker, and Hoda Kotb

But what doctors have really prescribed for Roker now? Some good, old-fashioned, tender loving care, something he got plenty of from his Today colleagues upon his return on Friday.

"It is a really special day... and I'm sorry because the tears are already flowing, because Al Roker is back!" anchor Savannah Guthrie explained at the top of the show.

"The crew is weepy," said Kotb. "The crowd outside, they've been waiting for you. They've been bummed every day we walk out there like, 'Where is Al?' "

"As much as we missed you, Al, I think the plaza missed you even more," Guthrie later said, as fans outside held signs with Roker's face and the words, "Welcome Back" in large letters. "Signs for you. They are your people!"

RELATED: Hoda Kotb and Savannah Guthrie Call Al Roker 'the Heartbeat' of Today Ahead of His Return to Show

The love was not lost on Roker. "I have missed you guys so very much," he remarked. "You are my second family and it's just great to be back — and wearing pants! It's so much fun."

"My heart is just bursting," he added. "I'm just so thrilled to see all of you and the crew. Right now I'm running on adrenaline."

His sense of humor remained intact, as he said jokingly as he walked off the set, "Oh what is all these lights? It's burning my eyes! Ahh!' "

"It's been weird," he said after doing his first weather broadcast, something he got used to seeing meteorologist Dylan Dreyer doing in his absence. "I've usually be sitting back, drinking coffee, watching Dylan do the weather. This is a little harder!"

The love for Roker didn't end throughout the morning show — video even played of his arrival at Studio 1A, when he was greeted by Guthrie and Kotb at the elevator to his favorite song, the theme from The A-Team, which he famously plays every morning.

"You've always been an inspiration, even more now," Guthrie told Roker during his sit-down with Roberts. "I'll never forget, Deborah, one of those early texts you said, 'I've never loved him more.' I think we all echo that, Al, we have never loved you more and been more grateful to have you by our side."

"Well, I'm grateful to have this woman by my side," Roker responded. "She is the same reason I'm still here."

Today airs weekdays beginning at 7 a.m. ET on NBC.