Al Roker is sharing the moment that his 19-year-old son, Nick, who has special needs, found out that he’s going to college.
In a touching video posted on Instagram Thursday, Nick is shown staring at his phone. Suddenly, Nick's mom, ABC News senior correspondent Deborah Roberts, turns on her camera.
“So what happened?” Roberts asks.
“I got accepted,” Nick announces. “I’m not even kidding.” He then tells his parents that he has not one but two offers.
Though Al is off-camera, you can feel him smiling as he congratulates his youngest child and asks him if he’s excited.
“I’m excited!” Nick exclaims before high-fiving his proud dad. Moments later, Roberts rushes over to Nick and gives him a big hug.
Earlier this year, Al revealed that he had begun touring colleges with Nick.
“I just… I don’t know that I'm ready for him to leave yet,” Al told his 3rd hour of TODAY co-hosts. “Time marches on.”
Al has shared gratitude for his time with Nick during quarantine in 2020.
“The nicest part about this experience has been spending more time with Nick, and watching him grow and learn,” Al told AARP The Magazine. “You want the best for your kids, and this period has been hard because all our normal routines have just been turned upside down. But Nick is adaptable.”
Nick is on the autism spectrum. He’s had developmental delays since infancy; at age 3, he hardly talked and could barely walk. But today he is a black belt in taekwondo, a swimmer with two gold medals from Special Olympics New York, and the principal cross bearer on the worship team at their church.
“Being in the house together all the time can be challenging for anyone, and it’s especially hard when your child has additional needs,” Al noted in the AARP article. “But I’m so proud of the person Nick is becoming, and so glad I have this extra time to see him maturing into an adult.”
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