"To you, mom is a TV legend, to us, she is a legendary mom."
Kathie Lee Gifford's kids were the most touching part of her Today show goodbye.
At the end of her extravagant final episode of the morning show on Friday -- which featured a performance by Barry Manilow, an appearance by John Cena and a free cruise for every audience member -- her two kids, Cassidy, 25, and Cody, 29, stole the show with a gushing video about their mom.
"To you, mom is a TV legend, to us, she is a legendary mom," Cody said. "What was it like growing up with Kathie Lee Gifford as your mom? It was a lot like what you'd expect. You're surrounded by a kind, generous, giving, wonderfully talented woman, who wants the best for you at every second of the day."
Cassidy continued lavishing the praise on her mom, deeming her best quality to be "her heart."
"Her kindness is something she leads with, most of the time, not when she's not mad at Cody and I, but she does," Cassidy quipped. "She's one of the kindest people on the planet."
"I mean this is a woman who, she will give you the shoes off of her feet," Cody agreed. "I think what was instilled from both mom and dad for us was, you have to go and earn whatever is given to you because that's the right thing to do."
The touching video continued with each of the Gifford kids offering up the biggest things they've learned from their mother. For Cassidy, she quoted one of her mom's signature sayings: "If you have a pulse, you have a purpose."
"[I learned] to always be the kindest human being there," she said. "Even if you're not the most talented, but if you're the kindest and the hardest working and that your time is never more valuable than anybody else's."
Meanwhile, Cody pointed to something that his mom's father, Aaron Epstein, used to say. "Find something you love to do, and then figure out a way to get paid for it."
The video took an even more emotional turn when they began discussing their late father, Frank Gifford, who died in 2015 after being married to Kathie Lee for nearly 30 years.
"What I learned through my dad's eyes about my mom was just how proud he was of her," Cody said.
"I just remember, in the last couple of years before our dad passed away, if I was ever home and we were sitting watching mom at 10 a.m. ... first he would say, 'Boy, you're mom's so pretty.' And then he used to always say, 'You know, there's no one else like her... Who knows if there ever will be?'" Cassidy recalled, before discussing what makes her mom so unique.
"There's something about my mom that resonates with so many people and has for so long, which is why she's still kicking butt doing what she's doing," she said. "[She] has more energy than we have... She's like a 7 year old."
The siblings also lavished praise on their mom's longtime co-host, Hoda Kotb, for the years of friendship between the two women.
"When Hoda came into our lives, there's this little spark, this little flame, inside of mom and we've all seen it and it radiates outwards, especially with Haley," Cody said of Hoda's 2-year-old daughter.
"I think there are friends and then there are friends like Hoda," Cassidy agreed. "She sets the benchmark pretty high in what it means to be a real through-and-through friend."
While Cody would like to see his mom "just chill out for a little," both of her kids can't wait to see what adventures await her.
"I think having my mom finally going into this new stage and following her passions, it's inspiring to me," Cassidy gushed. "... I just can't wait to see how God blesses you in this next step."
When the video ended, it flashed to Kathie Lee and Hoda, both of whom were sobbing over the incredibly sweet video. After Kathie Lee made her way over to her son in the audience -- her daughter was unable to attend due to work -- he wrapped her in a giant hug and whispered in her ear, "I love you, mama. I'm so proud of you. Dad is too. I love you."
Watch the video below for more on Kathie Lee's Today farewell.
RELATED CONTENT:
