Overview
- On Nov. 25, Thomas briefly told Today she is doing well and added, “I miss him a lot,” in her first on-air remarks since Donahue’s Aug. 2024 death at 88.
- Her reappearance followed a Nov. 24 prerecorded segment in which she toured St. Jude’s Family Commons, a non-clinical space designed for play, art and music.
- Thomas emphasized that the 45,000-square-foot area has no doctors or medicine, describing it as a place for children to regain a sense of childhood during treatment.
- The space was built with a $50 million donation from AbbVie, aligning with St. Jude’s model of not billing families for treatment, lodging or transportation.
- Thomas, 88, is St. Jude’s national outreach director and resumed her annual Thanks and Giving advocacy on Today after skipping the 2024 appearance during mourning.