Al Roker on his son with special needs: 'I admire him'

April 26 (UPI) -- Al Roker is proud of his son with special needs.

The 64-year-old meteorologist shared in the May issue of Guideposts how Nick, his 16-year-old son with wife Deborah Roberts, has "blossomed" and overcome many obstacles during his lifetime.

"The obstacles in this kid's way were things that might have tripped up many others. Not Nick, not even with the disabilities he was born with," he wrote.

Roker recounted how he and Roberts "knew right from the beginning" Nick would experience challenges due to developmental delays. He said his son is on the autism spectrum and "maybe obsessive-compulsive."

The Today weather anchor said Nick developed strength, conversational skills and mobility by working with speech, behavioral and occupational therapists. Nick also took up tae kwon do and discovered the systematic sequences of moves suited him well.

"Nick blossomed, far more than Deborah or I could have ever expected, given his original iffy prognosis," Roker said. "Turned out that all those repetitive drills were just the thing for Nick. Where his OCD nature can be a drawback in some situations, it was a strength here."

Nick earned his black belt in tae kwon do and has since pursued swimming, chess and basketball lessons. He is also very involved as an acolyte in his church.

"Nick is a hard worker; he's got a great sense of humor; he's outgoing and a good swimmer; he's developing a pretty good top-of-the-key basketball shot," Roker wrote. "He's also very affectionate -- like his grandfather -- and full of love to share."

"Do I get frustrated with my son sometimes? You bet. But then I remember my dad, how understanding he was. And Deborah reminds me that I have to show my son not only that I love him but that I like him as well. More than that, I admire him," he said.

Roker is also parent to 20-year-old daughter Leila with Roberts and another daughter, Courtney, with ex-wife Alice Bell. He shared a family photo with Roberts and Nick while celebrating Easter on Sunday.

"Happy #Easter from @deborahrobertsabc @nickroker155 and yours truly. Missing @cleilapatra and @ouichefcourtney," the star captioned the post.