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Al Roker is welcomed back to hugs, smiles and tears on TODAY after being out since November with serious health issues that put his life at risk. Plus, doctors say Bills safety Damar Hamlin is awake and has made "substantial improvement" after suffering cardiac arrest on the field — and he had one particular question on his mind. 

Al Roker returned to TODAY and shared his 'miracle' road to recovery after a life-threatening medical battle.  

TODAY's beloved weatherman made a joyous return to Studio 1A this morning after being out since mid-November with what his doctor said was a series of "life-threatening" health emergencies. Al's wife, Deborah Roberts, shared the gravity of the situation. "He is a living, breathing miracle," she said. "It was the most tumultuous, frightening journey we have ever been on." Al said he had two bleeding ulcers in addition to blood clots, and that doctors had to resection his colon and remove his gallbladder, among other procedures. He shared his gratitude for his family, his doctors and the giant outpouring of support from TODAY fans. "My heart is just bursting," he said. See Al's emotional journey to recovery here. 

Bills player Damar Hamlin is 'neurologically intact' — and even asked his doctors, 'Did we win?'

The doctors at the University of Cincinnati Medical Center who are treating Damar Hamlin said the Bills safety has shown "substantial improvement" and that his "neurological condition in function is intact" since suffering cardiac arrest on the field against the Bengals on Monday. Dr. Timothy Pritts said on a conference call with reporters that Hamlin is still critically ill but has reached a "turning point" and even asked doctors who won the game. "When he asked, ‘Did we win?’ the answer is, ‘Yes, Damar you won. You’ve won the game of life,'” Pritts said. The NFL also announced yesterday that the game with the Bengals that was postponed after Hamlin collapsed will not be made up.

A survivor of the Idaho student murders stood in 'frozen shock' as she came face to face with the masked killer.

One of the surviving roommates in the house where four University of Idaho students were stabbed to death in November said she nearly came face to face with a man in a mask and black clothing on the night of the killings, according to court documents released yesterday. Dylan Mortensen told authorities the man walked past her toward a sliding glass door as she stood in a "frozen shock phase," and she then locked herself in her room. Bryan Christopher Kohberger has been charged with four counts of murder in connection with the deaths. Authorities also revealed that DNA left on a knife sheath found at the crime scene was used to link Kohberger to the killings. Here's the latest.

These are the best blenders for making smoothies, according to Consumer Reports.

If you're on a health kick to start 2023 and looking to incorporate smoothies into your routine, you'll need a blender that won't leave you with frozen strawberry chunks and kale bits floating in your drink. We have 9 blenders that earned top ratings by Consumer Reports for how well they purée hard items like apples and carrots, as well as making icy cold smoothies. Shop them all here. 

Achieve your life goals with easy tips.

At a time when there's seemingly a new "revolutionary diet" popping up on Instagram every moment, the Mediterranean diet continues to reign supreme among health experts. The diet, based on eating whole grains, fruits, vegetables, lean protein and healthy fat, was recently named the best overall diet for the sixth year in a row by U.S. News & World Report. We have a beginner's guide to the Mediterranean diet with the foods you can enjoy, what to avoid, and what health benefits you can expect. Plus, make sure to check out our Mediterranean recipes for chicken, pasta, shrimp and more. 

Allow us to do the meal-planning for you.

Add some kick to a protein-packed meal with these shrimp and turkey lettuce wraps with a spicy umami sauce from chef and Food Network personality David Rose. Make sure to cook the shrimp separately from the ground turkey to avoid overcooking, and top it all off with lime and cilantro for a bright, fresh finish. Get the recipe.  

A little pick-me-up before you go.

The spirit of late comic actor Leslie Jordan lives on in this spunky 3-year-old from Kentucky and her hilarious reaction to a manicure mishap. In a TikTok video, Adaline Catron is giving her mom, Kayla, a bright pink manicure when she drips some nail polish on her mom's finger. “I’m trying my best, honeeeeey!” Adaline says in a thick southern drawl, adjusting her pink glasses and smiling. The cute moment reminded people of the voice and comic timing of Jordan, the "Will and Grace" star who died in October. Her mother was initially hesitant to share the video because Adaline has undeveloped optic nerves and is legally blind. “When we’re out, grown adults will come up and ask, ‘What is wrong with her?’ And ‘Why do her eyes do that?’” Kayla told us. “My husband actually had to convince me. He was like, ‘We need to do this. She’s going to make people smile.'" And he was right!

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Written by Scott Stump | Edited by Philip Caulfield

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