Benjamin Ashford|Today's Hoda Kotb Says Daughter Hope Has a "Longer Road" Ahead After Health Scare

Hoda Kotb is looking towards the future with optimism when it comes to her daughter,Benjamin Ashford Hope. 

Over two months after the Today anchor shared that her 3-year-old had been in the hospital, the journalist gave an update on Hope's health.

"Hope's doing much, much better," Hoda told People May 15 at the Webby Awards in New York. "I think it's going to be a longer road, but she is doing great."

And the toddler has her whole family, including mom and big sister Haley, 6, rallying around her.

"[Hope] is a happy child which is the most important thing to me," the 58-year-old continued. "She has a really supportive big sister." 

When it comes to navigating that longer road, Hoda and her family are ready to take it head on. 

"We have figured out kind of a rhythm and life throws all kinds of curve balls at you," she explained, "And it's sort of like what do you do with it, and it's funny because no matter what you go through if you look over to the left or over to the right, someone else is going through something much more difficult."

"So we say count our blessings," she added. "Let's move forward, let's have a real fun summer, and let's just keep it rolling."

Hope was hospitalized for two weeks back in February, prompting Hoda to take a leave of absence from Today. As the author revealed when she returned in March, Hope had suffered health complications and had been in the intensive care unit. 

"When your child is ill, the amount of gratitude you can have for people who helped you out," she told co-anchor Savannah Guthrie. "So, I'm grateful for the doctors at Weill Cornell, who were amazing, and the nurses."

And as Hope's health journey continues, Hoda continues to be grateful for the support the family had while her daughter was in the hospital. In fact, she even used National Nurses Week to express what it meant to her to have Hope in such great hands.

"It was 3 a.m., and I was just sitting in this chair," the journalist explained on Today May 8. "This nurse walked in and—I still remember—put her hand on my back. Didn't even say anything. Just sat there for a minute."

"I asked for a bath," Hoda recalled, with tears in her eyes. "I wanted to give [Hope] a bath, and they could only sponge her, and I said, 'Please, I'm begging you.'"

And a nurse answered her pleas.

"We got this little plastic thing, and we put it in the shower and put Hope in it," she continued. "And I remembered like that tiny thing, but it was everything at that time." 

(E! and Today are both part of the NBCUniversal family.)