Hoda Kotb, a 61-year-old television anchor and co-host of the Today show, recently shared a heartfelt story about how actress Sandra Bullock inspired her to adopt two children. Kotb recounted this experience on the Today show podcast Making Space, where she was joined by Bullock and her co-star from Practical Magic 2, Nicole Kidman. Kotb said she was moved to adopt after hearing about Bullock's decision to adopt her son, Louis, from New Orleans in 2010. Kotb explained that she had struggled with the realization that she had missed the biological window for having children, a period she described as emotionally difficult when she was 51. One day, while watching television, she saw a news report about Bullock's adoption. Curious, she looked up Sandra Bullock's age and was surprised to discover they were the same. This realization struck Kotb deeply, bringing her to tears. Inspired by Bullock’s story, Kotb reached out to the actress and asked about her experience. Bullock shared a touching moment from when Louis was a young child, describing how he was in the backyard singing "Happy Birthday" while thinking he was getting cake and peeing—a moment she called the best of her life. Encouraged by this, Kotb filled out the adoption paperwork and, soon after, sent Bullock a text from a plane saying, “I’m on the way.” Today, Kotb is the mother of two daughters, Haley Joy, born in 2017, and Hope Catherine, born in 2019. She often reflects on how Bullock’s story changed her life. During the interview, Bullock became emotional and asked Kotb to stop speaking further. Both women expressed gratitude for the journey they have taken. Bullock emphasized that when people are fulfilled with their choices, they are more open and less likely to judge others. She also encouraged people to embrace the many different ways families can be formed, saying, “You don’t have to live in the box.”