America’s favorite weather reporter Al Roker took to social media to share a shocking picture showing his new millennial and Gen Z fans the pants he used to wear.
Two decades ago, the NBC mainstay underwent gastric bypass surgery to help him lose weight. The lifesaving and life-changing operation took the news personality from his 54-inch waist to the svelte physique he has today.
On his Instagram post, where he is holding up a pair of jeans from back in the day, he captions, “Hard to believe it was 20 years ago today, I wore these size 54 Levi jeans to my #gastricbypass at 340 lbs and here I am today.”
Roker, the author of 13 acclaimed books, said that he still struggles with his weight but is determined to never go back to his former size.
“It’s still a struggle but I’m never going back,” he wrote. “I have setbacks and struggle every day, but I never forget how far I’ve come.”
His comment section flooded with supportive notes from friends and fans standing with him.
His NBC sisters Hoda Kotb and Jenna Bush were some of the first to comment on Roker’s post. They wrote, “no one better than our pal, Al.”
Singer Melba Moore jumped in the comments and complimented him on his current size, saying, “Al you look wonderful,” while Octavia Spencer left four prayer hands.
One fan said, “Look at you now!”
Grandbaby Cakes and Hagermolly were two of the many folks that called Roker an “inspiration.”
While fellow meteorologist, Hollie Strano from WKYC in Cleveland, wrote “AY AL! ♥️♥️♥️ YOU!! YOU ARE AN ANGEL (you know what I mean 😂) ON THIS PLANET! THANK YOU 🙏 FOR INSPIRING ME AND MORE PEOPLE THAN YOU CAN EVER IMAGINE. I ADORE 🥰 YOU! 🙌 AND I’M PROUD TO HAVE THE PRIVILEGE OF KNOWING YOU! ❌⭕️”
In his 2013 memoir, “Never Goin’ Back: Winning the Weight Loss Battle for Good,” he talked about how the foods he grew up on as a child packed the pounds on him and created a lifestyle of unhealthiness. But he said that when his father was dying he made him “swear to God” that he would lose weight.
“I don’t know if you’ve ever had to make a deathbed promise to someone you love,” the Queens native said. “But if you have, you know the kind of guilt and massive responsibility I felt in that moment.”
He kept his word, and 20 years later a slimmer Roker is here to celebrate.,
