Today Hoda Kotb Tears flowed Jenna Bush Hager He gave her an original painting of one of his favorite photographs of her with daughters Hope and Hailey, painted by former President George W. Bush.
Jenna showed off the wrapped present at Today Plaza on August 12 as part of a big celebration in honor of Hoda’s 60th birthday, which she celebrated on Friday, August 9. The birthday celebration included a surprise message from Sandra Bullock, appearances by Hoda’s close friends, and a toast with the Today family.
When the two were already crying, Jenna told Hoda that she had “a little gift” for her co-star.
Jenna handed over the neatly wrapped present and, as Hoda unwrapped it, continued, “My dad has taken up art, so I asked him to draw your favorite picture of you.”
In tears, Hoda turned the painting towards the crowd and shared a snapshot of herself, Hope, and Hailey walking outside together. Bush signed “43” in red ink in the bottom right corner of the painting to commemorate him being the 43rd President of the United States.
Hoda has always said that becoming a mother was a decision she made herself – she adopted Hope and Hailey when she was in her 50s.
“When I turned 50, I vividly remember saying to myself, ‘Your life is amazing. You deserve what you have, so don’t ask for more,'” she recalled on Monday’s Today show.
“I wondered if I was worthy of being a mother. I thought about it. And then one day I said, ‘I wonder if it’s okay to say out loud that I want to be a mother?’ And what I was doing was speaking it into the universe,” she said.
“I was blessed with Haley Joy Kotb and then Hope Katherine Kotb,” she said. “Sometimes we think grace has passed us by, but it doesn’t. Grace comes. I thought I had everything I needed, but the expansion of my heart is immeasurable.”
This article originally appeared on TODAY.com.
