Craig Melvin’s first day as a co-anchor on the Today Show was full of surprises, but none sweeter than the unexpected appearance of his family on set.
The dad of two was clearly caught off guard when his wife, Lindsay Czarniak, and their children, Delano, 10, and Sybil, 8, walked in to celebrate his big day.
But the surprises didn’t stop there. Melvin’s parents, Lawrence and Betty Jo, and his brother Ryan also joined in the celebration, making the moment even more special.
As his family made their entrance, Melvin couldn’t hide his shock, exclaiming, “When I left this morning, you were all in bed!”
“We faked it,” Czarniak admitted with a laugh.
Later, Lindsay took to Instagram to reflect on the emotional moment, writing, “What a morning. Surreal, emotional and so so happy.. Congrats @craigmelvinnbc you deserve this! we are so excited for you and the adventure ahead.Thanks to the @todayshow family for letting us be such a fun part of the surprise!”
During the “fun surprise”, Melvin’s kids showered him with love. Delano proudly shared his admiration for his dad, saying, “He’s a great dad, and he deserves to be here today,” bringing Melvin to tears as he gave his son a big hug.
Sybil followed up with a handwritten note she prepared for her dad.
As her mom explained, the 8-year-old wanted to share some special things about her father with the audience. “My dad loves to play with me. He loves tickle fights, and he watches TV shows with me,” she read.
Melvin officially stepped into his new role on January 11th, replacing Hoda Kotb for the first two hours of the Today show. Kotb had celebrated her last day in the co-anchor chair just days earlier on Jan. 10.
Melvin, who grew up in South Carolina, has been married to fellow broadcaster Lindsay Czarniak since 2011. The couple welcomed Delano on March 10, 2014, and Sybil on Nov. 5, 2016.
