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Hoda Kotb Reveals Why She and Fiance Joel Schiffman Broke Off Their Engagement
For Hoda Kotb, the true trick to getting through the tougher parts of parenting is remembering what a treat it all is.
Take the time the former Today Show anchor was attempting to feed then-infant Haley while letting pup Blake outside only to have her dog shatter a picture frame. "She's crying," she recounted to Us Weekly in 2018, "he's barking, there's poop on the floor, glass is broken. I was like, 'I might have a breakdown.' Then I remember thinking, 'I would have begged God for this.'"
And for the most part, motherhood truly is everything it's cracked up to be—even when it involves co-parenting with your former fiancé.
Thankfully, financier Joel Schiffman is a good egg, gamely cracking up with Kotb in their matching deviled egg costumes on Halloween.
Not that the two have had to, er, walk on eggshells since their 2022 split.
"Joel is one of the best people I know, and he really is a great human being," Kotb explained on The Jamie Kern Lima Show in 2024. "And I feel like I'm a pretty great human being, but sometimes two great human beings together isn't quite enough to make it work."
But when it comes to parenting Haley, now 9, and her younger sister Hope, 7, the once-betrothed pair are star students.
Before whipping up their joint Halloween costumes, the exes reunited for their daughters' first day of school in September, Christmas morning and regular family dinners.
Because while the duo never made it down the aisle following their 2019 engagement, she remains committed to doing life with the 68-year-old.
"I went to this retreat and had kind of an epiphany about my life and I was realizing that you can love someone—like I loved him very much, and still do to this day—but that person isn't right for you in that moment," Kotb explained during a 2025 appearance on Today, months after she signed off from her 16-year hosting role. "And you can say to yourself, 'Wow, I'm ready to try to get other buckets of mine filled.'"
Instagram/Hoda Kotb
These days she's simply brimming with gratitude.
She credits her former partner with giving her the confidence to pursue adoption in the first place, telling People in 2022, "it's because of Joel that I have Haley and Hope, without question. I think I might have been too afraid to do it alone."
And though they've ended their romantic relationship, the two remain co-hosts when it comes to creating a magical childhood for their girls.
Having traded her Today gig for a new role helming her wellness brand and media company Joy 101, "Now I can feel my life slowing down a little, like I feel more of a rhythm," the 62-year-old explained on the morning show in 2025. "I have barbecues in the backyard, and Joel comes. We invite neighbors over. We have kids running around. There’s a dog."
And there's simply a whole lot of, well, joy. Just try not to smile while looking at this collection of sweet family photos.
Back to School
Hoda Kotb reunited with her ex-fiancé Joel Schiffman to send their daughters Haley and Hope off to school in September 2026.
Hoda Kotb/Instagram
Happy New Year
Kotb rang in 2026 with her daughters.
Hoda Kotb/Instagram
Lights, Camera, Fun
The family visited Universal Studios Hollywood in December 2025.
Hoda Kotb/Instagram
Brunch Bunch
The former morning show host enjoyed a Mother's Day brunch with her girls in May 2025.
Instagram/Hoda Kotb
School Drop Off
Kotb celebrated her first free morning after leaving Today in January 2025 by personally dropping off her kids at school.
Instagram/Hoda Kotb
Mommy Duty
"School drop!!! Let’s goooo!" the longtime NBC anchor captioned her Instagram post.
Instagram/Hoda Kotb
Halloween 2024
After announcing she was leaving Today, Kotb celebrated her first Halloween in the New York suburbs with her kids.
Instagram/Hoda Kotb
Cheer-Worthy
Haley and Hope matched in cheerleader costumes.
Mother's Day Surprise
Kotb got emotional as Haley and Hope surprised her with an early Mother's Day gift.
Birthday Celebrations
Kotb was surrounded by love during her birthday in 2021, celebrating the milestone with Schiffman, their kids, her siblings Hala and Adel, nieces Hannah and Ella as well as mom Sami.
I <3 NY
Kotb enjoyed a day with her daughters around New York City together.
Queens of Halloween
Another Halloween in the books! Kotb and her first daughter spent spooky season together as their Sesame Street alter egos.
Family Forever
Kotb spendt time with her own mom (and Haley's grandma!) in this cute group shot on Halloween 2019.
Party Time
The journalist shared this pic of her and Haley at a Sesame Street party in October 2019.
Suns Out, Funs Out
Kotb and Haley splashed around the beach in August 2019.
Gift for Mama
Haley looked cute as a button celebrating her mom's 55th birthday.
Sweet Sister
"Look who is feeding Hope!" Kotb wrote on her Instagram in May 2019, showing off Haley feeding her newborn Hope.
Friends for Life
Kotb's longtime friend and former co-host Kathie Lee Gifford met Hope in early May 2019 and they were all smiles all day.
A Full House
In April 2019, Kotb shared a photo of her full family for the first time on Instagram, writing, "This is us xo."
Welcome Hope Catherine!
It's a girl! Hoda introduced Hope to the world after surprising her Today show family on-air revealing that she had secretly adopted her second child.
Birthday Girl
On Valentine's Day, the TV host celebrated Haley's second birthday and shared on Instagram how she felt, saying, "So much love today."
Ho Ho Home
The beaming TV personality spent Christmas with her mother, sister and daughter Haley.
Queen Bees
Haley celebrated her second Halloween by twinning with her mom in matching bee costumes.
Apple of Her Eye
In August of 2018, Kotb and Haley spent an autumn day together picking apples.
Splashing Around
"I can't believe I get to do this .. #grateful" Kotb wrote on her 54th birthday.
Proud Mama
On Mother's Day, Kotb posed with Haley she sported a cute tee with the word "mama."
Mother's Day Duo
"Pre dawn photo shoots in bed are a blast," gushed the happy mom in a cute Insta selfie early on Mother's Day.
Sixtieth Surprise
On March 2018, the Oklahoma-native celebrated partner Schiffman's 60th birthday with their baby girl and a homemade cake.
Post-Olympic Bliss
"Home!!!!!" announced the TV host on Instagram after spending two weeks covering the 2018 Winter Olympics in Pyeongchang, South Korea.
Pre-Olympics Shenanigans
The day before arriving in Pyeongchang for the 2018 Winter Olympics, the TV personality had some fun with her little sweetheart and her USA beanie.
English (US) ·