Willie Geist OPENS UP About the EMOTIONAL WHIRLWIND of Sending Daughter to COLLEGE—Says He’s Caught Between PRIDE and PURE PANIC in Tearful Family Moment

It’s a milestone every parent dreads—and for Willie Geist, the moment his daughter Lucie leaves for college has come with a flood of emotion he wasn’t ready for. The beloved morning show host confessed to feeling an intense mix of excitement and sheer terror as he watches his little girl step into adulthood. Geist’s candid words have struck a nerve with families everywhere—what happens when pride and heartbreak collide? And how do you prepare to let go when your heart wants to hold on?

Catch the full story that’s leaving parents across the country teary-eyed—tap to read more now.

Family life is about to change for Sunday TODAY host Willie Geist: his oldest child, Lucie, will be leaving for college late this summer.

“We just had a high school graduation a few days ago for Lucie Geist,” Willie told TODAY anchors (and dads!) Craig Melvin, Al Roker, Carson Daly and Peter Alexander at a TODAY Father’s Day celebration.

“All the best stuff is still coming,” Willie said.

At the same time, he isn’t sure what life will be like when Lucie moves away. Willie, his wife, Christina, and their 15-year-old son, George, will have to figure out how to recalibrate living in their home as a family of three most of the time.

“We feel like we’ve done the best we can. She’s a great kid, and so we’re thrilled for her,” Willie said. “But we’re a family of four. Somebody’s taken a tire off the car and you’ve got to figure out how

to drive the car on three wheels, you know?”

Peter Alexander reminded Willie of how wonderful it can be to begin a whole new phase of your parental relationship with the younger child.

“I don’t know how he feels about that, but we’re excited about it,” Willie joked about George.

Willie and Christina have been struggling with the fact that Lucie is not going to be living nearby — she’s moving several hours away.

For now, the couple can track Lucie’s whereabouts on an app, but they plan to sign off while she’s at school, noting that seeing her location at all times might be more troubling than reassuring.

“Look,” said Al Roker. “I think it’s one of those things where at a certain point you’ve got to give it up to God, you know? You’ve done what you can. And you’re just there to catch them.”

Willie also spoke about Lucie’s milestone when he co-hosted TODAY With Jenna & Friends on June 10.

“As any parent who has been through this — or maybe you’re going through it right now — knows, the excitement at times becomes terror,” he shared.

“The graduation week, there are parties and things at school. You’re kind of busy … and then all of the sudden you’re sitting there and you’re looking up at that stage and go, ‘Oh, that’s her! That’s Lucie. That’s my daughter walking across and shaking the hand of the principal and getting the diploma,’” Willie told Jenna.

“She was on stage speaking, which was an amazing thrill, and I think that’s when it really hit me and Christina,” he added.

“All of a sudden, she’s ready to go,” he said. “And you hope you’ve instilled in her all the values and the habits and the things she’ll need to go out in the world.”