Veteran journalist Robin Roberts has long been admired for her poise and professionalism on Good Morning America, but in a candid conversation on The Tamron Hall Show, 

the beloved anchor revealed that confidence wasn’t always second nature — and it took a life-altering assignment to truly find her voice.

Now 64, Roberts reflected on the pivotal moment in her career: covering the devastation of Hurricane Katrina in 2005.

At the time, she had recently been promoted to a co-anchor role alongside industry legends Diane Sawyer and Charlie Gibson.

Despite the prestigious promotion, Roberts confessed that she struggled with self-doubt.

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“I had just been named a third anchor with the Diane Sawyer and the Charlie Gibson,” she said. “As a young journalist, you’re thinking, ‘Am I worthy? Why am I here?’”

When the catastrophic storm hit the Gulf Coast, Roberts — who grew up in Pass Christian, Mississippi — was sent to report on the ground. The assignment, however, quickly turned personal.

“I had lost contact with my family,” she shared. “Growing up in the South, you’re used to that during a storm. But still — I wasn’t going on air until I knew my mama was okay.”

Roberts recalled finding her mother just moments before her live broadcast. The relief was immense, but it was her mother’s encouragement that gave her the strength to step in front of the camera.

“She told me to go,” Roberts said. “I wanted to stay with her in the house — it had a little damage — but she pushed me to go out there and do my job.”

When she finally did go live, she tried to keep her delivery neutral and composed. “I was like, ‘I’m here on the scene…back to you Charlie and Diane,’” she said with a laugh.

But that professionalism cracked when Gibson asked her an unexpected — and deeply human — question: “When you left here, you didn’t know the condition of your family. Did you find them?”

Roberts motioned to show that she immediately broke down in tears on air. “I mean, ugly crying,” she admitted. “I knew there were a lot of people tuning in that morning who didn’t know where their loved ones were either — and I had felt that.”

Though the moment was raw and emotional, it became a turning point in her career. “What it taught me, Tamron, is to be yourself,” she said. “Just show up and be you.”

That message has since become a cornerstone of Roberts’ public persona — a blend of strength, empathy, and authenticity. It’s a quality that’s helped her not only connect with viewers but also support others through their own hardships, including co-anchor Michael Strahan as his daughter Isabella faces her own health battle.

Over the years, Roberts has faced challenges of her own, including a breast cancer diagnosis in 2007 and a bone marrow transplant in 2012 after being diagnosed with a rare blood disorder. She’s often spoken about the power of faith, vulnerability, and honesty in both her personal life and her career — values that were clearly forged, in part, during that emotional Hurricane Katrina broadcast.

As she told Tamron Hall, the experience didn’t just shape her as a reporter — it shaped her as a person. “When people say ‘you’re so real,’ that’s the moment that really taught me how important it is to show people your heart.”

Robin Roberts continues to be a trusted and inspiring figure in the world of journalism, reminding us all that vulnerability isn’t a weakness — it’s often where true strength begins.