Hoda Kotb has opened up on the time she was shamed for becoming a mom at 52 and details the 'scary' letter from troll.
The Today show host, who is a favorite among NBC viewers who ask where is Hoda? when she's not on the American TV show, has recalled the moment a fan made her fear being a mom at the age of 52.
Hoda isn't the only celebrity to become an older mom - Hilary Swank gave birth to twins at 48 having admitted "it wasn't easy" and Kaley Cuoco welcomed 'miracle' baby earlier this month, aged 37.
Speaking on Today with Hoda and Jenna, during a discussion about Ariana Grande's viral TikTok post on being body shamed this week, the mum of two, to daughters Haley and Hope, detailed the time she was mom-shamed.
Having admitted she tries not to pay attention to online trolls, she reflects on the time she was mom-shamed in a letter for having children later on in life.
"I'll never forget this, I got a letter, that was addressed to me in somebody's handwriting to my house."
But after explaining that she thought it was a fan wanting her autograph on a photo, it was something more sinister.
She said, "It was something along the lines of, how dare you bring a child into this world at your age. Don't you know what you're doing to that child? It went on and on and I was like, it took my breath away because that actually was my ouch. I was scared."
Hoda, who adopted her daughter Hailey with her then-fiancé Joel Schiffman in 2017 and adopted their second daughter Hope in 2019, went on to explain how she was already doubting her decision to have children, asking herself 'is this smart for me to do?'
"And am I helping? Or am I going to ultimately be harming?" Like, I've thought about that." she added.
Hoda was most surprised that someone "went to all the trouble" to take a pen, and sat at a table to write the message and got a stamp to mail it to her.
She shared how she overcame the negative thoughts, "So when I was feeling terrible, because I did - my dad passed when I was in college. And I remember thinking 'we have our parents for a period of time, I know the foundation he left. I know it was worth every second of that time."
And viewers have praised the star for speaking out about it.
One fan wrote, "Am so sorry that you experienced that but also am so proud that you “went high when they went low”. Your daughters will be forever blessed by the love and acceptance and lessons and memories that you have together no matter how long or short that time is. Life is about quality not quantity."
Another fan put, "I’m sorry for that letter sent to you. You have given two beautiful daughters a home and much love. You are an amazing woman and mother."
While a third fan added, "Lost my dad right after college and came to the same conclusion. Thank you, Hoda, for being so awesome. What a thoughtful, vulnerable segment."
