Craig Melvin Gets Emotional as His Wife and 2 Kids Surprise Him on His First Day as Today Co-Anchor

The dad of two wiped away tears as his daughter Sybil, 8, and son Delano, 10, joined him on the show

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Updated on January 13, 2025 02:21PM EST

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Craig Melvin had the best surprise in store for him on his first day as a Today co-anchor.

The dad of two, 45, got emotional when his wife Lindsay Czarniak and their two kids — son Delano, 10, and daughter Sybil, 8 — walked out on set to surprise him for his first day as an official Today co-anchor. His family was followed by his parents, Lawrence and Betty Jo, as well as his brother Ryan.

“When I left this morning, you were all in bed!” Melvin said.

“We faked it,” Czarniak admitted, laughing.

Delano sat beside his dad, with the father-son matching in navy suits. “Oh, you got a microphone, buddy,” Melvin said to Delano, who responded, “I’m professional!”

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Melvin took over for Hoda Kotb, who celebrated her last day at Today on Friday, Jan. 10.

“He’s a great dad, and he deserves to be here today,” Delano said of his dad on the show, causing Melvin to tear up and give him a big hug.

Sybil then pulled out a note she wrote about her dad as Czarniak explained that the 8-year-old wrote down some things about her father she thought the audience might like to know.

“My dad loves to play with me. He loves tickle fights and he watches TV shows with me,” she read.

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Back in December, Melvin shared a sweet photo on Instagram of his family of four matching in green and white Christmas pajamas. The foursome smiled in the adorable snap, with the proud dad taking a minute to reflect on the holiday season in his caption.

“Merry Christmas from the Melvins,” he wrote. “Hope yours is a day filled with love, fun, and memories. A special prayer today for those who are lonely or grieving this holiday season.”

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