Al Roker shares grief after tragic loss of his former Today show colleague and ... trends now
Al Roker has opened up about the tragic loss of his friend and former TODAY show floor director Mark Traub.
The longtime Today host, who has battled his own slew of health problems in recent weeks, took to social media to pay tribute to Traub, sharing a picture of the pair laughing and smiling together.
'The laugh you always heard in the background for years on @todayshow was our stage manager, @mtraub2295 and when he retired, some of our spark diminished. Sadly, that light is gone after a long battle. Take care, Mark. You are so missed,' Roker wrote.
Traub died aged 64 on Tuesday after a long battle with leukemia.
Roker (R) shared this image of him laughing with former Today stage manager Mark Traub (L) who passed away aged 64 from leukemia
Al Roker is pictured leaving the hospital on Thanksgiving after suffering blood clots. He was returned to hospital just one day later and has not since featured on a TODAY broadcast
Roker took to social media to pay tribute to Traub
Roker's wife Deborah Roberts was one of many people to pay their respects to Traub on Roker's social media post, writing: 'Loved Mark so much! What a gentleman and a delight.'
And the rest of Today's presenters took to the screen yesterday morning in an uncharacteristically serious segment to share tributes to Traub.
Like Roker, Hoda Kotb also mentioned Traub's audible off-screen laugh.
'Although we talked about the laughs that Mark Traub provided us with over the years, we actually have some very sad news about our
