TODAY show weatherman and co-host of 3rd Hour of TODAY Al Roker had an unforgettable Father’s Day weekend after his son Nick brought home two gold medals at the Special Olympics New York Summer Games.
Nick was victorious in the 25-yard butterfly and 50-yard freestyle competitions at Vassar College and was congratulated by his father in an Instagram post Saturday.
Nick has been competing in swimming with Special Olympics New York since April 2019. He is also takes part in a community-based organization where he competes with a team called the Flying Dolphins.
Along with his participation in the New York Summer Games, Nick has trained and competed in the New York Spring Games in Bethpage, Long Island as well as a competition in Rome.
Roker said in his Guideposts story that he discovered early in his son’s childhood that Nick faced unique challenges after he saw that his son developed his ability to crawl, walk and talk slower than other children his age. Additionally, he was not able to meet someone’s gaze or hold their finger as tightly as expected for someone his age.
Through the help of speech, behavioral and occupational therapists along with a program at his school, Nick exceed expectations. He showed a particular aptitude for sports and earned a black belt plus gold medals in swimming as he did over this weekend, honoring his parents’ efforts in guiding him through the process.
