On Jan. 14, Robin Roberts appeared live on “Good Morning America” to update fans on her remarkable progress and to let them know that she would be returning in weeks, not months as originally expected. Afterward, stars like Ellen DeGeneres and Tom Bergeron from “Dancing with the Stars," as well as ABC co-workers, tweeted their excitement at hearing the good news and sent messages of support.
“Nothing made me happier than to see Robin Roberts’ face on ‘GMA’ this morning,” Ellen DeGeneres tweeted on Monday. “Bravo Robin Roberts. Sorry you’ll have to wake up at 4 AM again soon (ouch), but glad the rest of us will be waking up to you again on GMA,” Tom Bergeron tweeted.
Robin’s co-workers were also excited to hear her news and lit up Twitter with positive reinforcement and support for their friend and cohort. “Robin Roberts back in ‘weeks’ not months – best news all day. All week. Loved seeing that smile this am,” tweeted David Muir, anchor for ABC News. Chris Cuomo, a good friend and past news anchor on “GMA,” said, “My phone was blowing up…there was not a problem…but it was all for the love for Robin Roberts on GMA. U r a righteous warrior.”
Robin Roberts also turned to Twitter on Monday and said, “Watching my friends on GMA is a great way to start my day. Once again I’ll have what Lara Spencer is having this morn. See you VERY soon.”
Last year, Robin revealed to “Good Morning America” viewers that she had been diagnosed with MDS, a rare blood and bone marrow disorder. She took a leave of absence to receive a bone marrow transplant from her older sister.
Before taking her medical leave, Robin Roberts said emotionally on-air, “Life provides losses and heartbreak for all of us, but the greatest tragedy is to have the experience and miss the meaning.” She began her medical leave on July 31 to prepare for her September bone marrow transplant.
While on leave, “GMA” has kept viewers and fans abreast of Robin’s progress with regular updates. In September, Roberts recorded a PSA for Be the Match, encouraging people to register as donors. George Stephanopoulos was quick to praise his co-host for her endeavors and said on-air, “This is making a difference right now.”
Since the operation, Roberts has spent time in isolation while she recovers and gets stronger. On Monday, she revealed on “Good Morning America” that her doctors have cleared her for a slow return. She plans on doing a dry run to the studio next week as she begins the “process of reentry.” When she does return, her interaction with fans outside the studio may be limited because she’s still at risk for infection.
During Monday’s live announcement, Roberts did not give a specific date for her return to the co-host chair. However, according to ABC News, she told colleagues that she has Feb. 26 in mind. That is the date in 2012 when she co-hosted ABC’s coverage of the Academy Awards in Los Angeles and noticed that she felt exhausted. The feeling prompted her to visit her doctor, which in turn led to the MDS diagnosis.
Robin Roberts began contributing to “Good Morning America” in 1995 and was named co-anchor in 2005. When not traveling around the world or country to cover breaking news events, Roberts can be found in the "GMA" studio in Times Square conducting interviews with a diverse group of newsmakers. Her headline-making interviews include President Barack Obama, First Lady Michelle Obama, actor Sidney Potier, and hundreds of others from all walks of life.
In August 2005, Robin Roberts found her personal and professional lives collide when Hurricane Katrina devastated the city of New Orleans and the Mississippi Gulf Coast, a part of the country Roberts called home for most of her life. In the days following the hurricane, Roberts traveled to the impact zone and reported live amid the devastation of the storm. She also launched "GMA Gets It Done," a yearlong effort to rebuild Roberts' hometown of Pass Christian, Mississippi. Roberts has returned to the Gulf Coast numerous times in the ensuing years to update viewers on how residents and businesses in the region are recovering post-Katrina.
Fans wish nothing but the best for this likable, warm and seasoned TV host.
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