Richard Cohen, an Emmy-winning journalist and husband of former “Today” show anchor Meredith Vieira, died on Christmas Eve, 50 years after he was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis. He was 76.
The three-time Emmy award-winning CBS journalist had been battling pneumonia for two months when he died, Forbes reports. A former senior producer for CBS News and CNN, Cohen sometimes wrote for The New York Times’ “Health and Fitness” columns.
“Today” anchor Hoda Kotb reported on Tuesday that he died “surrounded by his family and love,” including Vieira and their three adult children. Together, the couple share daughter Lily, 32, as well as sons Gabriel, 34, and Benjamin, 36. Like his parents, Gabriel is also a journalist, reporting for CNN from their Washington, D.C., bureau.
The family had feared saying goodbye to Cohen “early,” but ended up with “a glorious month with their dad,” said Kotb.
During a 2018 appearance on “Today” with Vieira, whom he wed in 1986, Cohen said he was diagnosed with MS at just 25 years old “and essentially told there is no hope.” He disclosed the diagnosis to Vieira on their second date, having learned “the hard way to get it on the table,” as he recalled to Yahoo Life. “She didn’t blink.”
The original “The View” co-host explained to the outlet that the reality of Cohen’s chronic illness “certainly wasn’t enough to scare me off” as she’s always been aware of how fickle and precious life is.
“You could get hit by a bus the next day, any one of us could,” said Vieira.
Multiple sclerosis can cause numbness, weakness, difficulty walking, vision changes and can permanently damage nerve fibers, according to the Mayo Clinic.
Cohen also twice survived colon cancer, a blood clot in his lung and, in his later years, was left legally legally blind by the MS, according to People.
Vieira, who now hosts the “25 Words or Less” game show, retired from “Today” in 2011 to spend more time with her family.
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