‘Today’ Co-Anchor Hoda Kotb Breaks Down In Tears After Interviewing Drew Brees About $5 Million Donation To Help Coronavirus Victims

Ted Johnson
Updated ·2 min read

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Today co-anchor Hoda Kotb broke down in tears on Friday after she interviewed New Orleans Saints quarterback Drew Brees, who made a $5 million donation to help coronavirus victims in Louisiana.

Kotb thanked Brees for his generous donation and said that other people will be inspired by it to contribute as well. “Drew, we love ya!” she said.

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“Love you too, Hoda,” he said.

She then was overcome with emotion. “I’m sorry,” she said, fighting tears. Kotb worked as an anchor in New Orleans for CBS station WWL-TV in the 1990s.

“It’s a lot. I know where your heart is, my dear, I do,” said co-anchor Savannah Guthrie.

Later, Guthrie told Kotb, “You know, we all get it. There’s just moments where it sort of gets you from out of nowhere. All of us understand that. Everyone feels a lot of pressure right now.”

“You sort of look around for someone to hug just because,” Kotb said

Guthrie has been working from home in a makeshift basement studio as a precaution against the coronavirus, while Kotb has been sole anchor from the studio.

Kotb noted how the city had the largest surge in coronavirus cases in the country, and that Brees stepped in to help. The increase in cases is being attributed by some to last month’s Mardi Gras celebrations.

“We’ve got to stick together right now,” Brees told Kotb in his interview.

Longtime Saints head coach Sean Payton was the first NFL coach or player known to test positive for the coronavirus. He told ESPN on March 19 that he went public with the news because he wants people to follow warnings and advice as the illness spreads throughout the United States and the world. Since then, the Crescent City has become one of the planet’s hot spots for COVID-198

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