Hoda Kotb reunites with the family of a woman who died of breast cancer

In honor of Hoda Kotb’s final week on TODAY, she was surprised on Tuesday by the family of a woman who died of breast cancer in 2017, with whom the co-host shared a close bond.

Hoda first met Erin Ludwig, her husband Jason, and their two daughters Savannah and Aubrey in 2016 after more than 30 of their friends and family nominated her for a special day as part of the #PinkPowerTODAY series.

Hoda, who was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2007, immediately had tears in her eyes as Erin Ludwig’s husband and their two daughters, now 13 and 10, exited Studio 1A after a segment about family.

Hoda immediately hugged Jason, Savannah and Aubrey Ludwig while crying and exclaiming, “Wow, wow, wow.”

“We wouldn’t miss this for the world,” said Jason Ludwig. “When we first got the call to come back, I sat with the girls, we talked and without a doubt we all decided that we wanted to come back and be there for you, Hoda.”

“You have touched our lives in ways you have no idea,” he continued. “And we are just a small percentage of the people whose lives you have touched throughout your career.”

Jason Ludwig shared that he brought his late wife’s favorite flowers in honor of Hoda’s final week on the show and that his girls brought stuffed animal bears for Hoda’s daughters Haley and Hope.

“We wanted to bring these for you because that was one of the best gifts that they treasure, the one you brought them,” he said, referring to a time when Hoda surprised the girls with teddy bears. “So we wanted to come full circle and bring them back to you, Hoda, for your daughters.”

He added that his daughters both play sports and that his family support system of his father, brother, sister, cousins ​​and girlfriend helped him raise the two girls.

“My girlfriend was there for me and I couldn’t do it without her,” he said. “She’s been there for me these last few years and helped me raise her.”

“She is still very much alive in our home and in our memories,” he said of his late wife.

Aubrey also presented Hoda and Savannah Guthrie with two other gifts: handmade friendship bracelets.

Hoda said she will “cherish this bracelet” before thanking the family for coming.

“I can’t believe this moment happened. Guys, I can’t, I don’t know how to say thank you,” Hoda said. “I can’t wait to tell my girls about you – it’ll be pretty cool. I’ll do that tonight too. And so you said that the bears are on your bed right now? OK, well, the (bears) will be on their bed tonight too.

Erin Ludwig was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2015 after noticing a lump while breastfeeding her younger daughter, and shared special moments with Hoda in 2016.

Erin Ludwig, her husband and their two daughters had a photo shoot on the beach and a surprise visit from loved ones that immediately connected them to Hoda.

“Erin, just so you know how loved you are, we’ve never gotten so many submissions for one person,” Hoda told her in 2016.

Erin Ludwig died in March 2017 at age 35, months after her time with Hoda and after her two-year battle with breast cancer.

Hoda returned to Virginia Beach, Virginia, in October 2017 to surprise Erin Ludwig’s family by holding two large teddy bears for the girls.

“The girls are going to do something and… it’s going to remind me of Erin and it’s happy and sad at the same time,” Jason Ludwig told Hoda at the time. “Like Aubrey talks…Erin never really saw it.”

He described adjusting to a new routine without his wife as “a struggle every day,” but also shared what he hoped for his daughters as they grow up.

“That they’re going to follow in Erin’s footsteps and just be strong and stubborn and be themselves,” he said. “Do what they want to do and do what they love.”