Al Roker’s Grownup Son Nick Gives Dad a Kiss after Winning Two Gold Medals in the Special Olympics
There’s a gold medalist in the family! Al Roker's son made him proud after winning gold at an Olympic event in New York, and the win represents a lot them.
Father’s Day came early and was extra special for the Today Show weather anchor, Al Roker; his son, 17-year-old Nicholas, won two good medals at the summer Olympic special games at Vassar College, in New York.
Roker's wife, an ABC News correspondent, Deborah Roberts, posted a picture of the father-son duo in the company of one of his coaches on Instagram. The young winner stood in between his father and coach, and the trio wore huge smiles.
Roberts captioned the photo
“This sweet guy won two (yes two) gold medals at the NY state special Olympics, then gives dad a kiss. Coach Weiss and all of us are so excited. Happy #Fathersday.”
Roker also shared the big win on Instagram writing that he is very proud of his son’s accomplishment. The teenager took part in the 25-yard butterfly and the 50-yard freestyle races respectively.
The proud father equally sang his son's praise on the third-hour segment of the Today show, revealing that it was a statewide competition and Nicholas’s first try. The win is extra special for the weatherman and his family because young Nicholas is a special needs child and has had a difficult time adjusting and doing things that boys his age do.
In an interview in April, Roker explained that when his teenage son was a baby, he did not develop as quickly as expected, and when answers were seeked from his physicians, none of them could come up with one.
However, the TV personality and his wife have realized that Nicholas is on an autism spectrum and also, obsessive-compulsive. Al Roker admitted that there were times he got frustrated with his son’s shortcomings, but Roberts advised him to show the teenager that he loves, likes and admires him.
The anchorman said that after going through therapy, his son is now flourishing, and apart from swimming, the teenager holds a black belt in Taekwondo, is a good basketball player, is learning chess, and he is also part of the worship team in his church.
Roker's son has come a long way, and in his father’s word, Nicholas has overcome all the challenges life has thrown at him and is using them as a driving force to propel himself forward.