It was a very emotional moment on The Today Show when Mike Leonard, veteran anchor, stopped by to say his goodbyes and play a tribute video as he announced his retirement.
The tribute is below: an exquisite and heartfelt homage to the subject he found most inspiring in his 30+-year career, which, not surprisingly at all, came from his own home: his wife.
As Matt Lauer later noticed, Leonard’s stories made audiences laugh and cry for over 3 decades. He will be missed.
“Your stories... are a microcosm of you. They all have incredible heart, they're told with kindness, and hope, and modesty. They are understated and yet so powerful, and that is you in a nutshell,” Lauer told Leonard as Savannah Guthrie wiped away the tears.
“You have an amazing gift, an amazing talent,” she chimed in.