Richard Cohen, a celebrated journalist and the husband of former “Today” host Meredith Vieira, has passed away after a two-month fight against pneumonia, as confirmed by Vieira’s representative. He was 76 years old.

Vieira’s rep, Michael Gantz, confirmed to YSL News that Cohen died on Christmas Eve. The Hudson Independent was the first publication to break the news. According to “Today,” Cohen had been living with multiple sclerosis for over five decades and had endured two separate battles with cancer.

Married for nearly 40 years, Vieira and Cohen had three children together: Benjamin (36), Gabriel (34), and Lily (32).

Cohen was an accomplished journalist, receiving three Emmy awards for his contributions at CBS News before joining CNN. He also worked at PBS and ABC during his career.

“You don’t have to let it control you,” he stated in a 2019 interview with Yahoo Life regarding MS. “I could give you a long list of things I can no longer do. You just come to terms with that. I look at our three kids, our relationship, and the four books I’ve written … what do I have to complain about?”

In addition to his broadcast work, Cohen wrote a health column for The New York Times and authored several books, one detailing his personal health struggles and another highlighting five people living with chronic illnesses.

What is MS?

Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a long-lasting condition that damages the protective covering of nerves, leading to symptoms like numbness and difficulties with walking and vision, as explained by the Mayo Clinic.

Cohen, who was left legally blind due to MS, shared his diagnosis with Vieira on their second date, according to “Today.”

“I told her about my illness right away, as I learned the hard way that it’s best to be open about it. She didn’t flinch,” he recounted to Yahoo Life.

His legacy is not only his notable career in journalism but also the important discussions he initiated about health and life with chronic illnesses.

“I believe too many individuals hold back and don’t speak their truth,” he expressed on “Today” in 2014.

Alongside his journalistic honors, Cohen received an honorary Doctor of Humane Letters from Mount Sinai Hospital School of Medicine in New York, the 2009 AARP Inspire Award, and was a founding member of the advisory council at Harvard’s NeuroDiscovery Center, according to The Hudson Independent.

Vieira left “Today” in 2011 to focus on spending more time with family.

“Time is a peculiar thing. You can never have enough of it, and it keeps moving forward. I know I want to spend more of my time with my husband, Richard, and my children,” she explained to audiences at the time.