Joan Lunden Shares Sweet Moment With Former ‘Today’ Costar Al Roker During Rare Visit to the Show

Joan Lunden left Today viewers feeling nostalgic during her recent appearance on the morning talk show!

The journalist shared a video of a sweet moment with former costar Al Roker after her March 22 segment on the program. In the clip posted on her Instagram page, Joan, 73, was seen fixing the collar on Al’s purple suit and chatting with him.

“Catching up with pal Al Roker who looked dashing in head to toe purple!” the broadcaster wrote along with the video. She previously served as a correspondent on the show.

During her Today visit, Joan sat down with the show’s hosts and her eldest daughter, Jamie Krauss Hess, to discuss Jamie’s new project, “The Gratitudeology Podcast.” In the first episode, Joan joins her daughter to discuss Jamie’s “path to sobriety and success.” Joan admitted it was a topic that she had not talked about with her daughter in 20 years.

Dylan Dreyer asked why the mother-daughter duo have not spoken much about Jamie’s path to sobriety in recent years.

“It was like the elephant in the room. We had never really discussed it,” the Good Morning America alum confessed. “I guess because she turned her life around and she had such amazing success. By the way, she was successful as a kid, like an international equestrian jumper, which is why it took me so long to grab her by the neck and take her out and say, ‘You’re going to go away and you’re going to get help.’”

“I think that’s a big problem for parents today, they’re afraid to ask their kids,” Joan continued. “They almost want to have those blinders on, and they don’t want to see what’s happening, but you got to be super snoop. It’s OK, like go and see what’s in their room and on their phones.”

Craig Melvin then asked Jamie what advice she would give to families out there who are going through a similar situation with someone suffering from addiction.

“My advice is to speak it out loud,” she said. “We are only as sick as our secrets, and walking through the fear of doing something … I picked up the phone maybe 50-60 times to call her, and got through the first three numbers, and then chickened out. If you could just get it out and have somebody help you walk over those hot coals to the other side, it’s much better than sitting in the fear.”

If you or someone you know is struggling with substance abuse, contact the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) National Helpline at 1-800-662-HELP (4357).