Craig Melvin Shares Exciting Reason for Recent ‘Today’ Absence

Craig Melvin had an important reason to take a day off work from Today.

Willie Geist filled in for Melvin on the NBC morning show’s Thursday, October 8, episode, joining Savannah Guthrie at the anchors’ desk. The show didn’t explain his absence, but Dylan Dreyer revealed the sweet reason he missed out during the third hour of Today‘s Friday, October 9, episode.

“We do wanna give a shout-out to our buddy Craig this morning. You know he always represents his hometown of where? Columbia, South Carolina. Well, it doesn’t go unnoticed,” she told viewers. “Craig was just recognized with the Ripples of Impact medal. It is the first year Columbia’s mayor has given out the award honoring people who have elevated the community through their leadership and commitment to making a difference.”

Calling the award a “big deal,” Dreyer told Melvin, “You are making a difference, and you have an impact, and you talk about South Carolina all the time.”

Melvin was touched by Dreyer’s “very sweet” words. “It was nice being back. Being honored, of course, it’s nice, but it was the group I was honored with,” he stated. “A’ja Wilson — she couldn’t be there because she was in the playoffs. But A’ja Wilson was honored, and some of the folks that growing up in Columbia, South Carolina, that I sort of idolized, they were among those being honored, [including] one of the first Jewish businessmen in our community.”

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Another perk of going home for the awards ceremony was spending time with his family. “The people who sort of shaped me and molded me, they were all there, and it was nice,” he said before thanking the city of Columbia for the honor.

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Melvin was one of several honorees recognized by Columbia Mayor Daniel Rickenmann at the inaugural ceremony on Wednesday, October 7, including Wilson, Isadore Lourie, Charity Adams Earley, The Darnall W. and Susan F. Boyd Foundation, Rev. Dr. Simon P. Bouie, William Tobin “Bill” Cassels, Jr., and South Carolina Governor Henry McMaster.

“I am honored. You know, I’m missing work tomorrow. I don’t get to miss work a whole lot. So, you know, I wanted to come down and accept it in person to thank Columbia,” Melvin told local news outlet WIS News 10, which he worked at years before he joined Today in 2018.

He continued, “I know it’s an award. I’m honored to receive it. But, you know, I also wanted to come and thank some of the folks who helped me along the way. Folks like you. Folks like my first news director are here. Folks like Mayor Rickenmann, who I’ve known for 20 years.”

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