Meredith Vieira and Richard Cohen have endured many highs and lows all through their almost 4 decades-long marriage.
The pair met whereas working for CBS Night Information and ultimately wed on June 14, 1986. Though they might have celebrated their thirty ninth marriage ceremony anniversary in mid-2025, it was introduced on theĀ As we speakĀ present on Jan. 7 that Cohen died on Christmas Eve in 2024 on the age of 76.
Cohen, a three-time Emmy-winning CBS Information journalist in addition to a former senior producer for CBS Information and CNN,Ā had been residing with a number of sclerosis (MS) for greater than 50 years after being recognized at simply 25. He had additionally survived two most cancers diagnoses throughout his lifetime.
Vieira had been by his facet via all of it, with Cohen revealing he instructed his now-wife he had the persistent illness on their second date. “I instructed her in regards to the sickness, as a result of I type of discovered the laborious approach to get it on the desk,” he recalled toĀ Yahoo LifeĀ in 2019. “And she or he actually didnāt blink.”
Added Vieira, 71: “Iāve at all times been of the varsity of thought that you can get hit by a bus the following day, any considered one of us may. It definitely wasnāt sufficient to scare me off.”
Via the years, as Cohen left his profession at CBS Information and have become an advocate for these residing with MS, Vieira praised her husband for his outlook on the illness, which impacts the central nervous system, together with the mind, spinal wire and optic nerves.
“IĀ assume that Richard was dealt a awful hand. I get offended at that: Why ought to he should undergo all this? However I’ve seen what [adversity] does by way of making you the particular person you might be,” she instructed Good Housekeeping in 2013. “I take a look at the sort of particular person Richard is and who the youngsters are. That is the results of what he is been via.”
As for the way she had navigated the hardship, the As we speak alum recalled to the outlet, “I take into consideration how his mom dealt along with his dad, who additionally had MS. How nice she was with him, and the way loving and supportive. I took some cues from her.”
“You reside your life each day; it’s what it’s. I am not saying it is a cakewalk in any respect: If his sickness continues to progress, because it does for therefore many sufferers, it is by no means a very optimistic final result. However I do not are likely to go there, I simply dwell each day,” she continued. “Additionally, it is made me take a look at Richard in a a lot completely different manner. I used to assume denial was not a superb factor, and he is taught me that denial generally is aĀ niceĀ factor. It is saved him going for a lot of, a few years.”
In 2019, Vieira revealed on The View that “it is a type of golf equipment you do not wish to be a part of however while you’re a part of it you understand there are wonderful individuals,” including, “We’re inside that group and I actually do consider that when that is your the cardboard you are dealt, you cope with it and he is wonderful. He is doing very well.”
On the time, she additionally famous that he was “nonetheless ambulatory” and “truly makes use of a walker,” which she stated “ended up being the perfect factor that might occur.”
“He used to make use of a cane and it actually pressured his again right into a troublesome place,” the veteran broadcaster defined. “And now, he stands very straight and he very not often falls down and all these issues that may be problematic with MS. And, he is received a terrific humorousness. You’ll be able to assume, āWhy us?ā however then itās like, āWhy not us?ā So many individuals are coping with stuff and it places it into perspective.”
For the longtime couple, one factor that has helped them get via the challenges of Cohen’s sickness was permitting “one another to vent.”
“That is a part of the deal. Definitely, heās allowed to vent, as a result of heās received persistent sickness. However I’m too,” she instructed PEOPLE in 2019. “As a result of there are days I canāt stand it and the restrictions it places on the complete household. Itās good to say it. However we donāt dwell.ā
Laughing had been useful to Vieira and Cohen, as properly. āRichard is a really humorous particular person, and I’ve a superb humorousness. In order thatās type of our factor,” she additionally instructed PEOPLE.
Vieira and Cohen are mother and father to sons Benjamin, 36, and Gabriel, 34, in addition to their daughter Lily, 32.
Although Vieira, who retired from her profession in broadcast journalism in 2011 to give attention to Cohen and their children, beforehand famous on The View that it is “completely good” when all three of their now-adult kids are dwelling, she admitted that the couple “sort of like having the house to ourselves.”
“I like it when our youngsters come dwelling however I can not watch for them to depart once more,” she stated through the 2019 look. “They’re previous. They’re launched. They received wings, now fly. I be ok with that.”
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Vieira additionally instructed Good Housekeeping in 2013 that being an empty nester had allotted the pair extra time to “give attention to one another, and that is a superb factor.”
“I used to be the primary one who would have stated, ‘I will be so depressed once they’re not right here.’ However I’ve discovered it to be good,” she shared. “They arrive dwelling loads, and I really like who they’ve develop into. They’re extraordinarily unbiased younger individuals, very assured in themselves. I believe it is good that they are gone. TheyĀ ought toĀ be gone. However I do miss the hugs and even the preventing a bit ā¦ simply the power of it. It is a part of being a child.”