O

From
THE
Heart
Eight Rules to Live By
ROBINROBERTS
This book is dedicated to
Lawrence and Lucimarian Roberts
for giving their baby girl wingsand being
the wind beneath those wings,
making it possible for me to soar to heights
I never could have imagined for myself.
(Even ghting cancer!)
I love you with all my heart.
Contents
Introduction: From the Heart v
1. Position Yourself to Take the Shot 1
2. Dream Big, but Focus Small 23
3. If at First You Dont Succeed, Dive Back In 41
4. Never Play the Race, Gender, or Any Other Card 61
5. Venture Outside Your Comfort Zone 79
6. Focus on the Solution, Not the Problem 107
X ii i x
Contents
7. Keep Faith, Family, and Friends
Close to Your Heart 131
8. Make Your Mess Your Message 161
One Final Thought . . . 195
Acknowledgments 199
About the Author
Credits
Cover
Copyright
X v i x
Introduction:
From the Heart
I had no idea that one day I would write a book. I also
had no idea that one day I would be the coanchor of
Good Morning America. Isnt it wonderful how life
can surprise you?
I remember my rst morning as coanchor. The an-
nouncer said: This is Good Morning America with
Charles Gibson, Diane Sawyer, and Robin Roberts.
All of a sudden I was on camera sitting next to Char-
lie and Diane. I wanted to shout to the TV audience,
I dont know how I got here either!
Some part of me was thinking: Why would people
listen to what I had to say? What had I experienced
X x v
Introduction
and learned in my life that I could impart to viewers?
Then Hurricane Katrina hit right in my hometown,
and I was thrust into the heart of it. GMA became
a way for me to reach out and make a difference. I
found my voice, and the viewers responded.
I have to admit, though, when my editor at Hype-
rion, Gretchen Young, told me they wanted to frame
this book as my rules to live by, I laughed.
Right, I said, Robertss Rules of Order. As if I
could give people rules for life. That wasnt me. I al-
ways felt like a person who had broken all the rules
and the mold they came in too. I was a woman, I was
black, and I didnt care if people said I didnt belong
in sports or broadcasting. I pushed my way in. So the
idea of writing rules tickled me.
But as I thought about it, I realized that in another
sense rules were a big part of my lifebefore I broke
them.
When I was young I was totally focused on being
an athlete, and I was the type of athlete who always
played by the rules. Maybe the fact that my father
was in the Air Force for more than thirty years has
something to do with that. You dont retire as a full
colonel in the United States Air Force without play-
X x vi
Introduction
ing by the rules. My father instilled those values in
his four children. (Im the baby of the family.)
It wasnt just rules for the sake of rules. We learned
that rules have a purpose. They teach us invaluable
lessons. Lessons that we may not even be aware of
at the time, like discipline. Its not always easy to do
what is expected of us, especially when others arent
holding up their end of the bargain. But my parents
never let us get away with measuring ourselves
against other peoples performance or blaming some-
one elses failure for our own. Our house was a no-
whine zone. We were taught to take responsibility for
our own actions.
When I was a freshman basketball player at South-
eastern Louisiana University, my coach, Linda Puck-
ett, devised a challenging drill. She instructed the
team to stay in a crouched position as we slid all the
way around the court. We were not to stand up until
we reached a certain point. I was in the middle of the
pack as we did the drill. When we were nished,
Coach Puckett got right in my face and said, Hon,
you are going places in life. It turned out that I was
the only one who remained in the crouched position
for the entire time.
X i x vi
Introduction
I could have easily been like everyone else on my
team and come out of the uncomfortable position
before I was supposed to. It took discipline, determi-
nation, and stamina to stay put. Traits that come in
handy in life, whether youre on the basketball court,
on the job, or raising a family.
When I was a child watching Good Morning Amer-
ica, I could never have imagined sitting in that anchor
chair. A life in broadcasting wasnt even on my radar.
My total focus was on becoming a professional ath-
lete. But looking back, I am convinced that I would
have been successful at anything I pursued, because
of my sports background. For as long as I can remem-
ber, Ive loved sports. I am always fascinated by how
fast I can run, how far I can throw a ball, how high
I can jump. That was especially true when I was
younger. When I was twelve years old, I was the state
bowling champ in Mississippi. I still remember the
headline in the local paper: PETITE BOWLER TAKES
STATE TITLE. I think it was the one and only time I
have ever been called petite.
Growing up on the Mississippi Gulf Coast, I loved
all sports, but tennis was my rst true passion. Oh,
how I would daydream about one day taking center
X ii x vi
Introduction
court at Wimbledon! I imagined myself curtsying to
the queen and eating strawberries and cream. But
even though my heart belonged to tennis, my body
was more suited for basketball. When youre 5'10" in
the eighth grade, people expect you to play hoops, so
thats what I did. I put my heart into the game and
loved it. And although I didnt realize my dream of
becoming a professional athlete, those experiences
on the court never left me. In fact, they became an
integral part of me.
The principles I learned through sports prepared
me for success. They taught me certain rules that I
live by to this day:
1. Position yourself to take the shot. I learned how to
put myself in position for good things to happen to
me. Even when I felt outmatched or afraid, I made
sure I was ready to grab the ball when it came my way.
2. Dream big, but focus small. When I was young I
had big dreams, and my parents, teachers, and coaches
encouraged me. But they also helped me to see that I
had to have my feet planted in reality. Dreams are
vague and far away. Goals are tangible and achievable.
X x x i
Introduction
I learned that being true to myself meant guring out
what was right for me, then pursuing it.
3. If at rst you dont succeed, dive back in. Heres
a secret. It isnt always the smartest, most talented,
prettiest, or most charismatic person who has the
most success. Thats true whether youre talking
about a great job, a great achievement, or a great mar-
riage. More often, the people who succeed are those
who dont let setbacks and rejections stop them cold.
4. Never play the race, gender, or any other card.
The most valuable lesson my parents taught me was
that there is no excuse for not being the best you can
be. When you fail, dont look for fault in others; nd
the areas you need to improve in yourself. And dont
be too thin-skinned. Learn to laugh at your frailties.
We all have them.
5. Venture outside your comfort zone. To stop grow-
ing is to stop living. My parents taught me this lesson
by taking new chances late in their lives. When you
look at your life as a work in progress every day, noth-
ing is impossible.
X x x
Introduction
6. Focus on the solution, not the problem. We all
have problems, and its easy to let them drag you
down. The key to lifting yourself up is to focus on
what action you can take to solve them. You may be
taking baby steps, but they move you forward.
7. Keep faith, family, and friends close to your heart.
My life has been lled with blessingsa deep faith,
strong family ties, and a core group of friends who
support and challenge me. My faith, family, and
friends are the foundation upon which everything
else rests. True success cannot be measured by the
eeting faades of fame and money, but only by the
underlying security of a life well lived.
After I deliver a speech I am often asked for a copy
of it. The problem is I never write my speeches. I just
talk. That is my hope for this book. Its just me talk-
ing to you. Talking about the things I have learned
that have helped me nd joy in my life and fulll-
ment in my work.
Trust me when I tell you that I am not the
brightest person in the world. And trust me, my
friends would wholeheartedly agree! There is no
X x x i
Introduction
magical reason why I am where I am. And there is
absolutely no reason why you cant be where you
want to be. If it can happen for me, it can happen for
you, too. And it would be a privilege for me to help
you get there.
But wait! Theres an important new eighth rule
Make Your Mess Your Message. Please look for an all-
new chapter at the back of the book.
X x i x i
1. Position Yourself to
Take the Shot
I
m a big believer that you have to put yourself in
position for good things to happen to you. You can
dream, hope, and pray all you want, but if youre not
ready when opportunity calls, it will pass you by. Of-
ten, the person who catches the break isnt the most
capable or talented, but the one who is standing
there with his or her arms outstretched at the right
moment.
This was a constant lesson for me growing up, be-
cause we moved around a lot. My father was in the Air
Force, and we traveled all over the world when I was a
kid. My siblings and I were each born in different
X 1 x
From the Heart
statesOhio, Arizona, Iowa, and Alabama. One of
my dads favorite assignments was being stationed in
Izmir, Turkey, in the late 1960s. He thought it would
be good for the family, and he was right. What a
beautiful countryrich in history and culture. Instead
of living on a military base with other Americans, my
parents decided we would live in an apartment in
town. They wanted their children to experience a dif-
ferent culture. My best friends were Turkish, and they
taught me how to speak their language and play their
games. My parents were constantly looking for cre-
ative ways to educate us. By immersing us in a differ-
ent culture, they helped us become more tolerant and
compassionate. They opened our eyes to the world.
Whenever it came time to pack up and move again,
my parents would play a little game with us. Theyd
give us the rst letter of the place we were moving to
and make us guess the answer. So, after two and a half
years in Izmir, they sat us down and said, OK, kids,
were moving back to the States to a place that begins
with the letter M. We shouted, Montana, Maine,
Michigan, Missouri! Nope. We racked our little brains
and hesitantly asked,Mississippi? Yep.Well, we threw
a t. We wailed that there was no way we would go
X 2 x
Position Yourself to Take the Shot
there. It was 1969, and the Magnolia State wasnt ex-
actly appealing to the Roberts children.
But when we moved to Biloxi, Mississippi, we were
pleasantly surprised. Despite our initial objections
which included a lot of temper tantrumsthe Mis-
sissippi Gulf Coast was a wonderful place to grow
up. We instantly fell in love with this picturesque re-
gion and its lovely, caring peoplenot to mention
the unbelievable food. And it was in Biloxi that my
devotion to sports blossomed.
When my father retired in 1975, my parents de-
cided to stay. Of all the places in the world they had
lived, this one felt the most like home. They bought
a house in Pass Christian, a small town about twenty
miles from Biloxi, along the beautiful Gulf Coast.
Locals affectionately refer to it as the Pass.
I was just starting high school, which was housed
in a charming redbrick building. It was the only high
school in town, and most of the kids had been friends
since the rst grade. At rst they didnt know what to
make of methis tall girl who came bounding into
their lives. Its never easy to break into the tight-knit
circle of small-town friendships, but I had two things
going for me. First, because I was used to moving to
X 3 x
From the Heart
new schools, I wasnt shy. I knew I could make people
laugh, and the force of humor can never be under-
estimated. Second, I played basketball. Through
basketball I met two girls who would become my life-
long friends. The rst time I walked into the audito-
rium, Cheryl Antoine and Luella Fairconeture looked
me up and down like Whos this? I was wearing some
awful outtgreen plaid, as I recall. Cheryl later said
she was immediately appraising my height for the
team. She laughed, recalling. I thought, Are those
legs ever going to stop?
I quickly wore down any resistance that existed
and became a xture in the school. Cheryl, Luella,
and I became so tight we called ourselves the True
Blues. Of course, at rst I had a little trouble under-
standing that warm Southern drawl. For the longest
time, when I was on the basketball court, I thought
the cheerleaders were chanting:
Eat potted meat.
Get up off your feet.
I just thought it was some kind of strange South-
ern custom. Finally, I asked Cheryl, What is potted
X 4 x
Position Yourself to Take the Shot
meat? Is it a special meat you all have down here?
She looked at me like Id lost my mind. When I ex-
plained about the cheer, she laughed so hard she had
to sit down. It turned out they were chanting:
Leap, Robin, leap.
Get up off your feet.
Back when Id started playing basketball in the
eighth grade, at rst I didnt have to work all that
hard, because I towered over everybody else. But by
the time I reached high school, I suddenly wasnt the
tallest player on the court. Thats when I learned the
importance of position.
Our coaches always emphasized that in order to
score, we had to get into the proper position to make
it happen. If we wanted to get a rebound, we needed
to get into the proper rebounding position. If we
wanted to hit a topspin forehand, we needed to get
into the proper position for that. It wasnt enough to
hope for a rebound or a score. We had to work our
tails off getting situated to make it happen.
If we were playing a team that clearly was better,
our coach told us, At least put yourself in position to
X 5 x
From the Heart
win. Dont give up before the game even starts. Do
whatever you have to do to keep the score close.
Then if you get some lucky breaks late in the game,
you can win. If you dont even try, and fall way be-
hind, those lucky breaks wont do you any good.
Our coaches also stressed that when we took the
court against an opponent who was superior, we had
to have heart. An opponent could be stronger and
have better skills, and we couldnt help that. But there
was no excuse for not wanting victory as much as
they did. That is a matter of heart. Why else are we so
enamored with the story of David versus Goliath?
I played a lot of basketball games when I was in
high school and college, but theres one game in par-
ticular that Ill never forget. It was my junior year of
college, and we were playing a team that always
dominated. They were the big school, and the girls
seemed bigger too. The players had a swagger about
them that went beyond condence. They looked at
us like we were bugs. They had never lost to us. And
just that one time I wanted so badly to beat them. I
wanted to do some damage to that swagger.
I had a good game, but as we got toward the end,
we were down by six points. We needed the ball
X 6 x
Position Yourself to Take the Shot
back. I purposely fouled a player who was one of the
cockiest girls on the team. She took her place on the
line to shoot the free throws, and as I watched her
I saw that her knees were shaking. A couple of her
teammates came up to her and she started screech-
ing, Get away, get away! She was a wreck.
I remember thinking, Hey, youre not so tough. I
must have been grinning from ear to ear.
And sure enough, she missed the free throws, and
we ended up winning the game. It was sweet.
I never forgot that game, because I realized that
people are not always as together as they may seem.
They can have a pretty convincing faade, but as soon
as theyre in danger of losing, the faade cracks like
an egg. Once theyre exposed, its not so pretty.
Ive learned that its the people who have been
tested and have persevered who you want to watch.
I remember the great prizeghter Floyd Patterson
once saying, Ive been knocked down more than any
heavyweight champion in history. But, he added, Ive
gotten up more than any heavyweight champion in
history. Dont forget that.
Ive applied the same principle to every challenge
Ive faced. It is the number-one rule I live by. I dont
X 7 x
From the Heart
shy away from difculties. If I get knocked down, I
get back up. I at least give myself an opportunity. I
dont quit the game when I fall behind. I have always
believed that if I hang in there and keep the score
close, Ill be in a position to benet from the lucky
breaks. Proximity is power.
The Mississippi Gulf Coast isnt exactly the center
of the universe, but that didnt mean there werent
possibilities. It tickles me that some people think you
have to be from a big city to make it. There are op-
portunities everywhere. Instead of worrying about
whether youll ever get that big break, spend time
preparing yourself so youll be ready to benet from
each opportunity that comes along.
It meant a lot to me when my classmates named
me Miss Pass Christian High in my senior year. It
made me realize that nine out of ten times, people
will accept you and encourage you if you let them.
You can always belong wherever you are.
Positioning yourself to win isnt always so easy. In a
ash doubts can creep in, and before you know it you
can start wavering and lose your focus. When that
X 8 x
Position Yourself to Take the Shot
happens, the key is nding a way to keep your eye on
the ball.
Last year I had the opportunity to visit Julie
Foudys girls soccer camp in New Jersey. Julie was a
member of the 1999 World Cup team that captivated
the nationespecially little girls. It was a leadership
camp, with twelve- to sixteen-year-olds from all over
the country. The theme was Live, Lead, and Pass It
On. Julie invited me to give the campers a pep talk
and share a few of my experiences. I welcomed the
chance to talk to these young girls and hopefully give
them something solid and inspirational to take away
with them. The girls were gathered around, asking me
questions, and one of them asked, Have you always
been sure of yourself? Was there ever a time that you
doubted yourself? I could see by the intense expres-
sion on her face that she really wanted to knowI
guessed because she herself had experienced doubts.
Absolutely, I assured her. Everyone has doubts
sometimes. And I mean everyone.
She looked relieved. I get this all the time from
young people. They assume that doubts are a sign of
weakness, and all the truly great people in the world
dont have them. The truth is, were all pretty fragile
X 9 x
From the Heart
to begin with. There are only a very few people who
are cocky sons of guns straight out of the womb. And
theyre not always the most successful. I think I
worry more about someone who never has doubts.
Most of us struggle with thinking were not good
enough. I always said that if I was the smartest or
most talented person on the team, we were in big
trouble! What makes the difference between success
and failure is not whether you have doubts, but what
you do when the doubts creep in. And they will.
How do you get past them? What works for me is
taking action. Doing something tangible to get my-
self into position. I cant control everything that hap-
pens, but I can be ready.
I didnt just learn this key principle through sports.
My parents were a huge inspiration. My dad was
showing the way before I was even born. You see,
when my dad was a young boy, in the 1930s, he
dreamed of ying airplanes one day. Hed take a
broomstick handle and put it between his legs and
imagine he was ying. People told him he was crazy.
A black man would never be allowed to y a plane.
X 10 x
Position Yourself to Take the Shot
Remember, back then African Americans didnt have
those kinds of opportunities. But my dad refused to
listen to the naysayers. Instead, he learned everything
he could about aviation. He sought out the chance to
do what he loved, and he refused to accept defeat. He
joined the military, and became one of the famous
Tuskegee Airmenthe rst black American air corps.
The Tuskegee Airmen ew 1,578 missions during
World War II. They never lost a single plane they es-
corted into battle.
My dad positioned himself for success. He had the
career he dreamed of. He traveled the world on ex-
citing assignments. He proudly served in three wars
for his country. He gave his family the opportunities
hed never had growing up. He made sure his chil-
dren were in a position to succeed.
My mother is also an inspiration. It still amazes me
when I think about the quiet, steady way she pur-
sued her goals. Her parents never went beyond the
sixth grade. My mom was the rst in her family to
go to college. She attended Howard University on a
$100 scholarship. But like most women of her era,
she didnt really set goals for herself beyond having a
family. As she once said, laughing, when someone
X 11 x
From the Heart
asked her what she majored in at Howard, I majored
in extracurricular activities and I minored in nding
a husband.
Mom never pursued a career outside the home
while we were growing up, yet today, at age eighty-
four, she is a polished woman whose credentials are
awe-inspiring. She was the rst woman to serve as
president of the Mississippi Coast Coliseum Com-
mission, the rst woman to chair the Mississippi
State Board of Education, and the rst woman to
serve as a member of the board of directors of the
Mississippi Power Company. She also served as chair-
person of the New Orleans branch of the Federal Re-
serve Bank of Atlanta. And she did all of this after
her children were grown!
Come on, think about it. Here she was, approach-
ing sixty; shed never really had a career outside the
homeI asked my mom recently howd she do it?
Inquiring minds wanted to know.
She answered simply, Well, when your father re-
tired from the Air Force and we moved to the Pass,
the rst thing I wanted to do was get involved in pol-
itics. And my involvement in politics led to other
things. I became acquainted with the governor . . .
X 12 x
Position Yourself to Take the Shot
Wait a minute, I interrupted. How did you be-
come acquainted with the governor? Here you were, a
housewife in Mississippi who had never had a career.
Well, she replied, I became acquainted with the
governor because I was willing to take an active role
in the community. I became the Harrison County
Democratic Executive Chairperson. And with that, I
met the governor. When he had an opportunity to
appoint me, rst he appointed me to the childrens
rehab center in Jackson. And I enjoyed that very
much. That was my rst appointment. And then all
of the mayors along the Gulf Coast selected me as
their representative to be a commissioner for the
Coliseum. So that was another stepping stone. From
the Coliseum, I was appointed to the Federal Re-
serve. The governor then had an opportunity to ap-
point lay board members, so I became part of the lay
board. And Ive always been interested in children
and their education, so that was a stepping stone to
helping me move into other areas.
She makes it sound obvious and easy. My mother is
pretty humble about her remarkable capabilities. But
one thing is plain: She positioned herself to achieve.
The opportunities didnt just come to her out of the
X 13 x
From the Heart
blue. In fact, when I look at what Mom made of her
life, given all the barriers she had to overcome, I am
truly proud. Im also grateful because I feel she put her
dreams on hold so Dad and her children could pursue
theirs.
Mom rose from poverty to prosperity. She grew up
in Akron, Ohio, where her family was devastated by
the Depression of the 1930s. It didnt help that her
father, my Grandfather Tolliver, was an alcoholic. My
dear grandmother, Grandma Sally, worked as a maid,
a cook, a babysitterwhatever she could nd. The
most she ever earned was a dollar a day. Mom re-
members a particular summer evening in Akron when
she was six years old. Grandma Sally was cooking din-
ner on a potbelly stove in the basement. All the utili-
ties in the house had been cut off because they could
no longer afford to pay for them. As Grandma Sally
cooked, the family sat around a makeshift dining-
room table in the basement, lit by the glow of a
kerosene lamp.
Lucimarian was a precocious child. (I guess having
me later was her payback.) She wanted to make her
parents feel better, so she announced, I have a song
in my heart, and Im going to sing it!
X 14 x
Position Yourself to Take the Shot
My unemployed grandfather was not amused. He
told her, Not at this table youre not! So what did
Mom do? She gobbled down her dinner and raced
outside. When she reached the basement window,
she sank to her knees and serenaded her family
through the screen window. It was that unconquer-
able spirit that carried my mom to unimaginable
heights.
Because of my moms example, her brother,
William, went to college on the G.I. Bill and became
a certied public accountant. Her sister, Depholia,
became a nurse. And her father turned to Alcoholics
Anonymous. By the time I was born, Grandpa Tol-
liver was sober. I never remember him drinking. I do
remember him reading from the Bible as he min-
istered to other alcoholics. Perhaps my grandfather
would have found Alcoholics Anonymous even had
my mother not excelled in life. But I strongly believe
that seeing his daughter position herself for success
gave him a greater condence that he could too.
Today, when people ask me for the secret of my
success, I say, Being born to Lawrence and Lucimar-
ian Roberts!
My parents taught me through their example that
X 15 x
From the Heart
any individual can succeed. Dont get stuck in that
awful trap of thinking others with more material ad-
vantages or happier childhoods or better educations
have more of what it takes to get ahead. The secret
to succeeding is to nd it from within. We all see
plenty of examples of people who seem to have it all,
yet theyre not happier or more successful at life. And
we see other examples of people who rise above un-
believable challenges to make it.
Last year on Good Morning America, I had the
chance to do a feature about a remarkable forty-six-
year-old man named Donald Mingo. His story is the
kind that sticks with you. Donald was born deaf and
was unable to speak. Then he was stricken with polio
as a child and had to learn to walk again. I knew I had
to meet this man after I learned that the Honda deal-
ership in Levittown, New York, where hed worked
for twenty years, was throwing him a twentieth-
anniversary party.
Donalds job was washing, waxing, and detailing
new cars for customer pickup. In twenty years, he
had missed only three days of work! His boss praised
him for his dedication and said he wished Donald
X 16 x
Position Yourself to Take the Shot
had a brother. Donalds coworkers were clearly fond
of him and appreciated his hard work. When he
made those cars shine, he made them shine.
What I found most remarkable about Donald was
his sheer joy and enthusiasm. He was one of the hap-
piest people Id ever met. He wasnt sitting around
feeling gypped by life. He considered himself blessed,
and he lived the life of a blessed man.
People like Donald Mingo teach us that the key to
success lies within. No matter who you are, chances
are that at one time or another you have been suc-
cessful at something. You set your sights on a goal
and you attained it. How did you do it? Apply the
same principles to the challenge before you now.
Consider it your personal formula for success.
Our actions, inactions, words, or silence can have
major consequences, good and bad. How much do
you want to succeed? What is it you want to accom-
plish? Whether its a different position at work, a new
career, or a stronger relationship with your family, put
yourself in position to get it. Dont just dream about
it. Dont just wish for it. Make it happen. You can.
While were on the subject of positioning yourself
X 17 x
From the Heart
for success, I have a word of advice for mothers and
fathers. I know how much you all want your children
to do well in life and to have every opportunity pos-
sible. But dont take this to mean that you have to be
hypervigilant about every step your child takes, for
fear that he or she will miss out. Today, theres so
much pressure on young kids. It breaks my heart
when I see people getting wound up in knots because
their kid didnt get into a top preschool, or when I
watch high school students sweating bullets because
they really havent gured out what they want to do
with their lives. The job of being a kid is to explore
and experiment and learn. Its the time you have to
work out who you are. Thats hard to do if youre un-
der constant pressure to perform. I know the world is
a competitive place, but I believe the child who is al-
lowed to nd his or her own wayeven when that
means failing and trying againwill be a stronger
person in adulthood than the child who follows the
prescribed path others set.
If youre the mother of daughters, one of the best
gifts you can give them is to encourage them to par-
ticipate in sports. Playing sports is empowering. Surely
X 18 x
Position Yourself to Take the Shot
you remember being a little girl. Its tough. Youre
just naturally insecure. Playing sports, feeling the
competitive drive, winning and losingthese expe-
riences build self-esteem and character. Little boys
have been beneting from their sports training for-
ever. Think about it. Guys are amazing. They can
tear each other up one minute, then go out for a
beer together the next. Sports gives them that per-
spective. Women can be timid because they get stuck
in the feeling that they have to be liked and have to
please everyone to get ahead. I assure you, sports
shakes that out of you. On the court or on the eld,
you dont care if the other team likes you. You just
want to win. It makes you stronger. So, if you want
to do your daughters a huge favor, introduce them
to sports. Its the best training ground for adult life.
I never stop appreciating how fortunate we are to
live in these times when young girls can actually vi-
sualize pursuing careers in sports. I often think of my
Grandma Sally, six feet tall and a natural athlete, who
came into the world during an era when that door
was not open. Sally loved sports, and Im sure I inher-
ited the sports gene from her. Grandma Sally passed
X 19 x
From the Heart
away in 1991, just shy of her ninety-rst birthday,
but I can still picture her glued to her radio, giving
the players a piece of her mind when they didnt
perform. She loved listening to renowned sports-
caster Red Barber, and although she lived in Ohio,
she was a huge Dallas Cowboys fan. Man, was she
angry when Tom Landry, the legendary coach of the
Cowboys, was callously dumped in favor of Jimmy
Johnson. Grandma admired how Landry always wore
a suit on the sidelines. She thought he looked quite
dapper wearing his trademark hat. Grandma thought
it was silly that baseball managers wore uniforms like
the players. She would laugh and say, What are they
gonna do? Put themselves in the lineup and play with
those young whippersnappers?
When I went to work at ESPN, Grandma Sally
was bursting with pride. She picked up the phone
and called her local newspaper to announce, My
granddaughter is a sportscaster at ESPN! She even
got cable TV for the rst time in her life. She had no
idea where the cable outlet was in her home. When
she found it, she had to rearrange the furniture in
her living room to accommodate the TV. Grandma
Sally was thrilled to see her dreams fullled through
X 20 x
Position Yourself to Take the Shot
me. But how much better it is that we now live in a
time when a woman can fulll her dreams for her-
self.
The pace of change is slow, and women have had
to struggle to overcome many barriers. But in the last
century weve succeeded in knocking them down,
one at a time. Ill bet that future generations will look
back and be astonished that we made such a big deal
about whether a woman could be president.
The seeds of future possibility are planted every
day in the lives of young women, and sports has a lot
to do with that. Its a catalyst. I remember so vividly
being at the Rose Bowl for the deciding match of the
1999 World Cup, when the American womens team
beat China. As I walked into the parking lot early that
morning, it was a wild scene. There were tailgate par-
ties, and teenage boys were walking around with MIA
and JULIE painted across their chests. The stadium was
packed with 90,000 peopleand forty million more
were watching from home. Those soccer players were
like twelve Michael Jordans. Everyone wanted their
autographs. It had to make such a tremendous and
lasting impression on those young girls watching from
home. They were witnessing women being celebrated
X 21 x
From the Heart
for their strength and determinationnot for their
appearance.
Seeing the drive and intelligence of the girls at Julie
Foudys soccer camp, I recalled that Christine Bren-
nan, a reporter for USA Today, once observed that
someday there will be a woman president. And when
shes asked what the dening moment of her child-
hood was, shell say, The 1999 Womens World Cup.
X 22 x
2. Dream Big, but
Focus Small
I
have always asked myself: What is the one thing I
can do today to get me closer to my goal? I prefer
to set goals for myself rather than to dream. You can
write goals down on a piece of paper. Somehow they
feel more attainable that way.
As Ive said, as a young girl I had a passion for
sports. I dreamed of being a pro. But it was just
thata dream. In high school I faced reality. I was
not going to be a pro athlete when I grew up. I was
the best doggone average athlete youve ever met.
Desire and passion will take you only so far in sports.
Theres a little something called ability that you must
X 23 x
From the Heart
have. Dont get me wrong, I was pretty good. By the
time I was a senior I was All-State, but I was bright
enough to know that Id had too late a start to think
of playing basketball professionally. I didnt start
playing basketball until the eighth grade. The major-
ity of women you see in the WNBA have been play-
ing ball from the time they learned how to walk! For
a while I continued to have dreams of playing pro
tennis. I would read every tennis publication cover to
cover, again and again, until the pages were practi-
cally falling apart in my hands. Mom would say, You
know, theres another issue next month. At one
point I hired a coach and played in some special tour-
naments. Once again the awful truth revealed itself:
This was not going to be my career.
I started panicking a little bit. What could I do? I
still wanted to pursue a profession involving sports.
Preferably a career that had the same characteristics
competition, travel, excitement. Something that would
push me and test me constantly. My oldest sister,
Sally-Ann, is a reporter and an anchor for a TV station
in New Orleans. Sally-Ann is eight years older than I
am, and I was always impressed with how certain she
was of her direction in life. Even when she was a child,
X 24 x
Dream Big, but Focus Small
she knew she wanted to be a broadcaster. She always
talked about the rst time she saw a black woman do-
ing the news on TV. Sally-Ann was mesmerized. The
woman was Trudy Daniels Haynes. Turned out she
was a former classmate of my moms at Howard Uni-
versity. Small world! From that moment Sally-Ann set
her sights on being a TV journalist. Broadcasting was
my sisters passion like sports was mine. As I prepared
to graduate from high school, she planted the seed in
me about becoming a journalist.
Now I had to focus on choosing a school that
would help that seed grow. I thought I needed to go
to a major university with an established communi-
cations department. The University of Tennessee was
my rst choice. It was an excellent school, not far
from home, with a terric womens basketball pro-
gram. I requested a catalog from the university, but
that was about it. I never told my parents or my high-
school coach, Ann Logue, that I wanted to attend UT. It
was one of the few times in my life that I didnt pursue
something I wanted. Was I afraid to reach too high?
Maybe I was. By the way, the UT womens basket-
ball coach, Pat Summitt, has led the Lady Volun-
teers to eight national championships. No oneman
X 25 x
From the Heart
or womanhas ever won more college basketball
games than Pat.
I decided that I wanted to attend Louisiana State
University in Baton Rouge. Like UT it was relatively
close to home and a major university. I applied and
was acceptedand was really elated when they of-
fered me a basketball scholarship. Ann Logue offered
to drive me to LSU for a visit. I was brimming with
excitement as we made the 150-mile drive. LSU has
a beautiful campus on the Mississippi River, but its
enormous. Two thousand acres, hundreds of build-
ings. It was a shock to my system. I was used to a
small school in a small town. Walking around the
huge, impersonal campus, I felt like I was shrinking. I
couldnt picture myself there. I knew in my heart it
wasnt for me.
I cried in the car heading back home. Id already
told my family and friends I was going to LSU, and I
didnt want to disappoint them. I was ashamed of my
reaction and embarrassed that Ann had taken the
time to make this pointless trip. Most of all, I was
scared that I was blowing my one big opportunity.
Then a small miracle happened. About fty miles
into our trip, we passed a sign for Southeastern
X 26 x
Dream Big, but Focus Small
Louisiana University in Hammond, and on a whim
we took the exit. It was love at rst sight. I loved
everything about the campus with its big oak trees
and wide-open spaces. Hammond is the perfect small
college town. It seemed just right for me.
It was so late in the school year that the only schol-
arship left was for tennis, but they offered it to me,
promising I could also play basketball. I was in.
Southeastern didnt yet offer a degree in commu-
nications, but Coach Linda Puckett assured my par-
ents and me that there would be a communications
department by the time I was a senior. She encour-
aged me to see the advantages. No, Southeastern
wasnt a big-time school like LSU, but I had an op-
portunity to grow with the university. My broadcast
classes would not be overcrowded. Coach Puckett
was right about that! In one broadcast class there
were just two of usSteve Zana and me. I was the
reporter, and Steve was the cameraman. Wed go out
in the eld and put stories together. I can still re-
member the closing line for my report on the Pon-
chatoula Strawberry Festival: A good time was had
by all. Not exactly Emmy Awardwinning material.
I was a good student, but during my rst year of
X 27 x
From the Heart
college I felt like I was drifting. I was full of uncer-
tainty, and that was a new feeling for me. I had always
been so sure of where I was going, but I wasnt very
comfortable in the broadcasting world. Was this go-
ing to be my lifestanding with a microphone at lo-
cal festivals and events? I kept trying to convince
myself that broadcasting was right for me, but it
wasnt working. By the end of the year I was con-
vinced that I had made a mistake. I needed a new
challenge. I told my parents that I had decided to
drop out of school and become a pilot. Like my dad.
My parents were fantastic. They didnt panic, even
though it was a goal of theirs to have all their kids
graduate from college. My older siblings already had.
I was the last one.
My dad said, Ill make you a deal. Ill help you
study for Ofcer Candidate School, because you have
to be an ofcer to be a pilot. If you fail the test, you
have to go back and nish at SLU. I agreed.
So my dad helped me study for the test. When he
handed me the booklet (several inches thick) and I
started paging through it, I thought, Holy moly! There
were words that were the length of the page. I was in
way over my head. I think my dad knew that, but he
X 28 x
Dream Big, but Focus Small
was nice enough not to rub it in. I took the test, but of
course I didnt pass. Didnt even come close.
Back I went to SLU, and I was still not sure what
direction I was heading in. Thats when my big sis,
Sally-Ann, stepped in.
Sally-Ann said, Youre missing it. She was exas-
perated.
I was clueless. What?
So she spelled it out for me. You love sports, right?
Yes.
And you like communications and broadcasting,
right?
Yes.
Sportscasting! she announced.
I know I looked doubtful, but Sally-Ann gave me a
pep talk. Youre just a little bit chicken because you
dont see anybody like you doing it.
She was absolutely right. In the late 1970s there
were very few women sportscasters, much less black
women sportscasters. Who was I to think I could
break such a daunting barrier? Still, I couldnt get the
idea out of my head. It felt so right. That was my big
fat Aha! moment. Now I had to make it a reality.
I bugged the local radio station in my college town,
X 29 x
From the Heart
WFPR, to hire me as its sports director. I was desper-
ate to get any kind of practical experience. (Keep in
mind, this was before internships were all the rage.)
At rst WFPR hired me as an assistant news director
under the wonderful Mary Pirosko. She was patient
with me, and she taught me as much as I was learning
in the classroom, if not more. Mary is a dear friend to
this day. I was lucky to have her as my guide.
I remember my rst live newscast. I was scared out
of my wits! The DJ, Roxanne, introduced me, and I
delivered a brief news update. I wasnt half bad, de-
spite the fact that I literally peed in my pants. I am
not kidding you. I wet my pants and had to back out
of the control room so nobody would notice.
I had other embarrassing moments on the air. I
wrote most of my news scripts, but sometimes, if
there was a late-breaking story, I would do what
broadcasters call rip and read. You rip the copy from
the wire machine and read it cold on the air. One time
I pronounced the word infamous as in-famous. The
DJ I was working with was the station owners son,
Johnny Chauvin. When my newscast was over, he took
me aside and politely corrected my error. I appreciated
X 30 x
Dream Big, but Focus Small
that he didnt make me feel stupid. I was doing a good
enough job of that on my own.
He and the entire Chauvin family took me under
their wing. WFPR was a rare breedan honest-to-
God family-owned station. Big John Chauvin had
been in the broadcasting business for decades, and he
and his wife, Frances, were pillars of the community.
They had a large family, and everyone was involved at
the station. They made me one of their own. They ad-
mired my determination. They even got a kick out of
my having to ride a bicycle to work when I didnt have
a car. To this day, Frances Chauvin, who is in her early
eighties, visits me at the studio once a year, with her
spectacular homemade pies in hand. My colleagues at
ABC are very happy when she shows up.
I constantly hounded the Chauvins about moving
from news to sports. Even though my heart wasnt in
reporting the news I made sure I was always on time
and did my absolute best. If I wasnt a good em-
ployee, how could I expect the Chauvins to honor
my request? My patience and persistence paid off. In
my junior year the Chauvins nally gave in and let
me be the sports director. I could do play-by-play,
X 31 x
From the Heart
host my own sports showthe works. I was thrilled.
However, in exchange I had to give up my weekends
and be a DJ. Did I mention that WFPR was a country
music station? I can still remember my catchphrase:
WFPR, 14-country, your hometown country friend
since 1947. This is Robin Rene here whicha [with
you] on a Saturday night, playing the best in country
musicyee haw! You havent lived until you scratch
a little Merle Haggard on a 100-watt radio station.
It wasnt easy having a full load of classes, playing
basketball, and working at the radio station. I had to
be at the station by 6:00 a.m. I would do a couple of
live sportscasts, then head back to campus in time for
my 8:00 a.m. class. I had classes until noon, then
went back to the station to tape my afternoon sports-
casts and write copy for the disc jockeys. I usually
had a couple of afternoon classes, then basketball
practice from six to nine p.m. Then it was straight
back to my dorm room to study. Having a hectic
schedule like that certainly tried my patience. And
lets face it, you dont have a whole lot of patience
when youre in college.
I was in a hurry to get out of school and start my
career. But believe it or not, my loaded schedule
X 32 x
Dream Big, but Focus Small
helped me focus. I know that a lot of people believe
in multitasking. Not me. When you have so much on
your plate, as many of us do, you cant do a good job
on the next project until you successfully complete
the one youre currently working on. When I was in
class, I focused on the class. When I was at the radio
station, it got my full attention. When I was on the
basketball court, it was the only thing that mattered.
I graduated with honors, cum laude, and was named
Most Valuable Player of my basketball team my ju-
nior and senior years. Doing what you love makes
everything possible.
Today, when I speak at commencements, I look out
into the audience and I can see the panic in the grad-
uates eyes. I can almost hear their minds whirling
What am I going to do? What am I going to do? And I
just want to reach out and hug them and say, Its
OK. A lot of people have felt just this way, and they
worked it out. Dont paniclisten.
We all have an inner voice, and sometimes we ig-
nore it, or it gets drowned out by all the noise of life.
But I guarantee you that even today, I take time out
X 33 x
From the Heart
to listen to mine. If you sit quietly and listen, you can
hear it. And your inner voice will tell you what will
really make you happy and fullledwhat is truly in
your heart. I have found it crucial in times of self-
doubt to listen to that voice.
My Grandma Sally taught me how to listen to my
inner voice. Every day she had quiet time. No talk-
ing, no TV, no radio, no singingjust being alone
with your thoughts and hearing the voice inside. As
a child I was restless and I didnt like being quiet and
sitting still. My sister Sally-Ann, my grandmothers
namesake, took to it, though. She got it at a young
age. To this day, Sally-Ann begins every morning with
a period of quiet. Its as natural to her as breathing.
It took me longer to see the advantages, but even-
tually it became a habit, and now I appreciate quiet
time. When Im struggling with something, I always
feel better and stronger after Ive taken time to be
still and listen. Its not just for the tough times either.
I promise you, if you make it a regular part of your
day, it will build your sense of self and bring you
closer to the heart of what you really want in life.
For example, when I was debating whether I should
leave sports for the anchor job at GMA, I listened to
X 34 x
Dream Big, but Focus Small
myself. My inner voice kept saying, What are you
scared about? Are you truly scared for yourself, or just
scared of what people will think? My inner voice came
through loud and clear, asking the important ques-
tions, pushing me to examine my own heart and not
be distracted by what others might say.
Sometimes it helps to visualize what you want.
Actually close your eyes and see yourself in the po-
sition you want to be in. I used to do that when I
bowled. I would step up to the lane, close my eyes,
and envision exactly where I wanted the ball to go to
knock down the pins. I would then open my eyes and
attempt to duplicate what I had visualized moments
earlier. I have used the same process when Ive had to
make a hard decision about which of two paths to
take. Should I write this book? I actually visualized
what it would look like well before I put anything
down on paper.
And this doesnt just apply to those who are start-
ing out. Ive found that throughout my career I had
to stay vigilant, listening to my inner voice.
You have to know who you are. Its more difcult
than you think. Ive worked with many people who
just dont know who they aredont know what
X 35 x
From the Heart
theyre passionate about. Its like theyre on hold or
in a fog.
If youre reading this and thinking you dont know
yourself, I want to ask you something. Why? Have you
just not taken the time to look inside? Is fear holding
you back? Are you afraid youll want something you
dont think you can get? Whatever the reason, you
have to get it straight, because if you dont know who
you are and what you want, how can you walk into a
job interview and expect a stranger to know?
Heres what you do. Begin by asking yourself a few
simple questions: What do you like to do? What did
you say as a kid when someone asked you what you
wanted to be when you grew up? What are you hap-
piest doing? What sparks your interest? What do you
envision for yourself? Im not just talking about ca-
reer goals. Personal goals are just as important. Do
you want to be in better shape? Do you want more
out of your marriage or relationship? Do you want to
own a house? Travel? Run for political ofce? Never
forget that this is your one precious life. Your life.
And you have the power to create your future. If you
dont like the path youre taking, why in the world
would you continue down that road?
X 36 x
Dream Big, but Focus Small
Lastly, consider who you are and what works for
you. We dont live in a one-size-ts-all world. You have
to be able to see yourself tting into a situation. Never
let anyone else dene happiness or success for you.
When I was working at WFPR during college, I
once asked Mary Pirosko, Why do you stay here?
Mary was so talented that I knew any station would
consider itself lucky to have her. She was considered
the radio equivalent to Walter Cronkite. Thats how
respected she was. But there she was in Hammond,
Louisiana. She told me, You dont necessarily have to
be on a big stage to make a difference. I saw the
truth to that, because Mary helped so many college
kids like me. And she found it immensely fullling.
She also helped establish quality programs and ser-
vices for people with developmental disabilities, like
her beloved son Stephen. Because of Mary, people
with disabilities and challenges are valued, respected,
and integral members of the Hammond community.
My sister Sally-Ann is incredibly popular in New
Orleans. I sometimes say shes like the baby Oprah of
her market. She has had many opportunities to go to
larger markets. But that wasnt her dream; it was my
dream. Sally-Anns vision was to make a difference in
X 37 x
From the Heart
New Orleans and to raise her family. It was impor-
tant to her that her children grow up in the place
where they were born. What has always impressed
me about Sally-Ann is how secure she is in her lifes
path. I remember once being in her ofce and seeing
a letter on her desk from a TV station in San Fran-
cisco. A top-20 market was courting my big sis. I was
excited. Then I noticed that Sally-Ann had written
her grocery list on the back of the envelope. I couldnt
believe it. What are you doing? I practically shrieked
at her.
Sally-Ann just shrugged. Ive got to pick up gro-
ceries on my way home.
I bombarded her with questions: Had she written
back? Had she talked to them? Was she considering it?
She just laughed. Robin, she said, you know I
love New Orleans. Im not leaving. Its my home.
For me, home could encompass the world. For
Sally-Ann, home is New Orleans. We each made our
choices according to our different dreams.
My sister Dorothy has numerous talents. Shes the
one who makes most of my necklaces that GMA
viewers rave about. And, boy, can Dorothy sing! In
fact, in 1976 she was an All-American singer and
X 38 x
Dream Big, but Focus Small
performed that summer as part of Disney Worlds
Bicentennial Celebration.
Dorothy had dreams of performing on the big
stage one day. But she opted for getting married right
after college and starting a family. She fullls her
artistic needs by singing in the church choir and per-
forming in local theatre productions. And her little
sister is there in the front row, cheering her on.
Life is about making choices. Thats pretty much
what it boils down to. My professional choices have
meant that I dont have the kind of family life Sally-
Ann and Dorothy have. But I know what works for
me. You have to nd that for yourself.
Recently, I had a phone conversation with an in-
tern at ESPN. She was a bright young woman, full of
passion for sportscasting. Shed be graduating from
college the following year, and she wanted to pick my
brain about how she could be successful. I like to talk
to young people and give them advice. I always re-
member the generous people who did the same for
me. This young woman was extremely careful about
getting down every word I said. She was sitting at her
computer on the other end of the line, and I could
hear her typing furiously as I answered her questions. I
X 39 x
From the Heart
started laughing as I realized that she was treating the
conversation like manna from heaven. She thought if
only she could capture the exact recipe for broad-
casting success, shed have it made.
Look, sweetheart, I said warmly, its really great
that youre getting all of this input. Its important to
do that. But you have to personalize it. You can talk
to ten different people and hear ten different ways
to get where you want to go. Only you know what is
going to work for you, so I want you to think about
that. Dont sell yourself short. When it comes to your
dream and your goal and your livelihood, dont leave
it up to anybody else.
Everyone can be a success in life if they are doing
what they love. There is a tendency to measure our
success by what others do. I get frustrated when I hear
women putting other women down because theyve
made different choices. If youre true to yourself,
youre doing the right thing. There is no wrong.
Id like to help women get past their insecurities.
We all have different strengths and weaknesses. Each
of us has unique, wonderful gifts to offer. Please
dont lose the opportunity to be you.
X 40 x
3. If at First You
Dont Succeed,
Dive Back In
D
o you know how many calls, letters, and e-mails
I receive from college students who want to be
broadcasters? Only a very small percentage of them
will go on to achieve their goal. Not because they lack
talent or potential, but because they wont have the
stamina to stick it out when they run into obstacles.
Sometimes when Im advising a young woman
about breaking into sportscasting, shell have it in her
head that she can bypass all that grueling getting ex-
perience business and go straight to the top. When I
ask her for a plan, shell say something like, Well, I
want to host the NBA show Inside Stuff.
X 41 x
From the Heart
Ill press, But in the meantime . . .
No, now.
Now? Ill look at this fresh-faced kid and my
heart will sink as she explains that she wants her rst
job to be broadcasting for the NBA.
Sometimes Ill say, Do you want to know what my
rst job was?all ready to tell her how I climbed up
from the bottom, making $5.50 an hour. But her eyes
are already glazing over. She doesnt want to hear it.
She wants to be a superstar right now.
I was the only one in my graduating class to get a
job in TV. Was it because I was the smartest? Hardly.
It was because I was patient and persistent. I ooded
TV stations around the country with my rsum
tape. When I asked my classmates where they were
sending their rsums, they said places like New
York, Chicago, Los Angelestop TV markets. When
they asked me where I had sent my tapes, I told them
Timbuktu. I wanted a job!
My rst job out of college was as a part-time sports
anchor at a local TV station, in Hattiesburg, Missis-
sippi, about an hour and a half drive from Pass Chris-
tian. Sally-Ann had once worked for the station, and
she put in a good word for me. I remember her telling
X 42 x
If at First You Dont Succeed, Dive Back In
me, I can open a door for you, but you have to be the
one to keep it open and step through it. My salary
was a whopping $5.50 an hour for thirty hours a
week. But I chose this part-time job over a more lu-
crative full-time job as a news anchor and reporter
with WLOX in Biloxi. Most broadcast majors would
have jumped at a news anchor job, but I knew myself
and what I wanted by then. I was a sportscaster, and
my goal was to eventually become a network sports-
caster. So the part-time job made sense to me as a
step along the path I had set for myself.
My parents were supportive, but I knew they
would have preferred that I take the full-time job.
My friends didnt understand my decision. After all,
wasnt the objective of going to college to land a
higher-paying job? Maybe for some, but not for me.
I truly wanted to follow my passion and my heart.
And that was sportspure and simple. Money has
never motivated me. As you will see, I often took
less money for a job I thought would lead me to my
ultimate goalnetwork sportscaster. I was single-
mindedmy parents would say stubborn. But I just
knew beyond a shadow of a doubt that I would nd
joy there.
X 43 x
From the Heart
I always try to make my job choices for the right
reasonsthat is, not for the money or the glory, but
because whatever Im doing will make me happy. I
believe that a certain karma happens when you fol-
low the direction your heart takes you.
In this case, it turned out to be the right decision.
Nine months into the job in Hattiesburg, WLOX had
an opening in their sports department and they came
right to me. They knew I had taken less money to be
in sports. They wanted someone with that kind of
passion on their sports staff.
I thoroughly enjoyed being a sportscaster at
WLOX. It was the station I grew up watching on the
Mississippi Gulf Coast. It was a jewel. Not a top
market, but an absolute wonder, with a talented staff.
(In 2005, during Hurricane Katrina, the professionals
at WLOX really pulled together. They remained on
the air the whole time. Many of the staff had lost
their homes, but they selessly put their feelings
aside and stayed with the story.)
When I joined WLOX, Dave Vincent was the
news director, and he still is. Dave taught me so much
about journalism. His criticism was always construc-
tive. He didnt hesitate to tell me what I was doing
X 44 x
If at First You Dont Succeed, Dive Back In
wrong, then patiently show me how to do it the right
way. I was happyboy, was I happy. My family and
friends surrounded me. I even lived back at home
with my folks for a while. Then I moved into a brand-
new apartment and bought myself a nice new car. I
thought I was all that and a bag of chips. I was enjoy-
ing covering teams and coaches I had once played
against. Even though I was different from most sports-
casters, viewers didnt make me feel that way. Oh,
sure, some of them gave me a hard time, but it was
usually for something I did or said, not for who I was.
People would sound off if they thought I was favor-
ing one team over another, or if they didnt like what
I was wearing. But only a very few had a problem
with my gender or my race. My parents were well re-
spected on the Coast, and I was their baby girl. Plus
my sports knowledge was rarely challenged because I
was a local sports standout. And I did my homework.
I thoroughly researched stories I was assigned. Plus I
read at least three newspapers a day as well as nu-
merous sports magazines.
I loved everything about being a sports journalist.
It was a thrill to attend the games, capture the ex-
citement on tape, then write a story that would make
X 45 x
From the Heart
viewers feel as if they were sitting on the sidelines. It
was a challenge to nd new ways of covering a story.
But the truth is I was really in my comfort zone. In
fact, I was so comfortable, I started losing sight of the
big picturewhich for me was becoming a network
sportscaster. My wake-up call came when WLOX of-
fered me the primetime news anchor position. It was
a big promotion for a lot more money, but I knew in
my heart that it would not make me happy. I politely
declined their generous offer. It was time to move to
a bigger TV market.
I started sending my tapes to TV stations in the
Southeast. All I wanted was an interview. I felt that if I
could just get in the door, I could sell them on what an
asset Id be to their station. But it seemed that as fast as
I sent my tapes out, they were coming right back to
me stamped REJECT. OK, they didnt really stamp the
word reject on them, but it sure felt that way. Those
tapes came back so fast, I couldnt believe theyd even
been opened. I kept thinking, couldnt they just keep
the tape for a couple of weeks and make it look like
they were considering me? I couldnt get an interview
anywhere. I hounded one news director in Houston,
Texasmustering all of my courage to make the calls.
X 46 x
If at First You Dont Succeed, Dive Back In
At least hed talk to me. He was encouraging, but he
never gave me an interview or offered me a job. I was
frustrated, and I began to feel defeated. Its so easy for
those doubts to sneak in. They only need the tiniest
little opening. I started thinking maybe I wasnt so
good after all. Maybe I should take the news anchor
job at WLOX and be satised.
Then I realized that I was letting others tell me
what I could and could not do, and I was determined
not to let that happen. Instead, I got creative. I kept
being told by news directors that they didnt have it
in their budgets to y me in for an interview. So I put
on my thinking cap. My parents were traveling a
great deal for our church at the time, so I asked them
to give me advance notice of their trips. Then Id
send my tape and rsum to all the TV stations in
that area. I wouldnt ask for a job, but just for a cri-
tique of my tape. That way, they wouldnt feel any
pressure. Then I would tell them I was going to be in
their area and would welcome the opportunity to
come by the station. It wouldnt cost them a nickel.
Wouldnt cost me anything either, since I would
hitch a ride with my folks and stay in their hotel
room.
X 47 x
From the Heart
My creativity nally paid off. My parents were
going to Opryland for a church meeting. Nashville
was close by, so I arranged an interview with Alan
Griggs, the news director at WSMV in Nashville, and
drove up with my parents. WSMV was an impressive
station. It had won many prestigious Peabody Awards.
I was so glad I arranged the interview. Alan and I hit
it off instantly. He told me to stay in touch until he
had an opening on his staff. He wasnt giving me the
runaround. He really meant it.
A few months later, Alan called to say there was an
opening at WSMV for a lifestyle reporter.
Uh . . . lifestyle? I was disappointed. It wasnt
what I was looking for. I couldnt see myself doing
fashion and cooking segments.
Alan heard my dismay and quickly explained that
it was just a bookkeeping thing. Technically, Id be
listed as a lifestyle reporter, but in reality Id be in the
sports department. I trusted him, and he was true to
his word. Even the pretense of being a lifestyle re-
porter didnt last long. I quickly became a full-edged
member of the WSMV sports team, reporting on the
Vanderbilt University Commodores and the Univer-
sity of Tennessee Volunteers.
X 48 x
If at First You Dont Succeed, Dive Back In
I especially enjoyed anchoring, but I only had a
chance to ll in occasionally for the regular anchors. I
was very excited the rst time I subbed for the week-
day sports anchor, Rudy Kalis. I wanted to make sure
that my sportscast was perfect and memorable. It was
memorable all right!
The station was located in a large rambling two-
story building. The sports ofce was upstairs at one
end, and the studio was downstairs at the other end.
I made sure I was at the studio in plenty of time. The
news anchor said, Robin Roberts will have the sports
for us right after these messages. We went to a two-
minute commercial break and I calmly took my seat
next to the news anchor. I was ready, with time to
spare. Just then the director came on the intercom in
a panic. He didnt have my sports tapes. Id left them
on my desk in the sports ofce! I jumped up and ran
as fast as I could down the long hallway and up the
stairs to my ofce. I grabbed the tapes and raced back
downstairs to the control room, handed the tapes to
the director, and ran back to the studio. I got back in
place on the set with only seconds to spare. The news
anchor introduced me. I opened my mouth to speak,
and nothing came out. I was completely winded. My
X 49 x
From the Heart
eyes started watering; I didnt know what to do.
When I was nally able to catch my breath, I told the
audience what had happened during the commercial
break. I started laughing, and so did everyone in the
studio. I thought it was the end of my career in
Nashville. But the phone lines lit upI was a hit!
Viewers thought it was hilarious, and more impor-
tantly, they appreciated how I had found humor in a
potentially embarrassing situation.
In Nashville I learned to be versatile, and to make
the most of every opportunity. Its not always obvi-
ous how one thing is going to lead to another, but
sometimes you have to go with the ow. Often the
most unlikely situation gives you the biggest boost.
There was a tremendously popular morning show
at WSMV called the Ralph Emer y Show. Ralph Emery
was like the Johnny Carson of country music. His
show was on every weekday morning from ve to
seven. It was similar to a variety show. Up-and-coming
country music stars would perform. Many of the
commercials were done live in the studio, starring
the local retailers themselves. These auto dealers,
orists, and furniture-store owners were like mini-
media stars. There was even a live studio audience.
X 50 x
If at First You Dont Succeed, Dive Back In
Two elderly sisters named Maude and Dorothy were
in the audience every day. The show may sound
corny, but it was an institution in Nashville. Every-
body watched it.
Ralph was a big sports fan, so Alan approached
him about my becoming the sports director for the
show. Ralph agreed, and I wrote, produced, and an-
chored two sportscasts every morning. We even had
sporting events on the show, such as paddleboat
races and outhouse races. (Dont ask!) Wed compete
against the sales staff and the local retailers. One year
my team won the paddleboat race. I immediately
checked to see if I could turn pro. Being on the Ralph
Emer y Show was an unexpected bonus. It helped me
hone my anchoring skills, and it taught me invaluable
lessons about live television that I use to this day:
How to think quickly on your feet. How to effort-
lessly transition from one subject to the next. And
most importantly, how to not take yourself too seri-
ously. Because, my friends, anything can happen on
live television.
I always kind of chuckle when young people say
they want to know my formula for success and want
to duplicate what I did every step of the way. It
X 51 x
From the Heart
doesnt work like that. Life is more serendipitous.
You never know which experiences are going to be
of value. I dont think someone planning a career at
ESPN or Good Morning America would necessarily
say, Ill start with the Ralph Emer y Show. Those pad-
dleboat races will get me where I want to go. But it
happened that way for me. Youve got to leave your-
self open to the hidden opportunities of life.
I had a lot of success in Nashville. WSMV was con-
sistently number one in the ratings, and the Nashville
Scene, a local paper, named me Sportscaster of the
Year during my time there. After two years, stations
in bigger cities began showing interest in me. In 1987,
I was thrilled to receive an offer from WAGA in At-
lanta to be a sports reporter. It would give me an op-
portunity to cover pro teams for the rst timethe
Falcons, the Braves, and the Hawks. As I considered
the move, I received a call from ESPN. They wanted
me to y up to Bristol, Connecticut, for an interview.
That was a heady moment. I was just four years out
of college, and the worldwide leader in sports wanted
to meet me. Its safe to say I was a wee bit excited.
Who am I kidding? I went bonkers! Working at
ESPN had been a dream of mine since I had taken
X 52 x
If at First You Dont Succeed, Dive Back In
my hairbrush (microphone) to interview teammates
in college. Oh, they loved me for doing that.
My ight to ESPN was delayed several hours, and it
was well after midnight by the time I reached my ho-
tel. The clerk at the front desk didnt even look up as I
came through the door. He just said in a bored voice,
Call your mother. Here I was, twenty-six years old,
about to meet with ESPN, but my mother was back
home worried about me because I hadnt called. It
was a little embarrassing, but I have to say I felt a
warm glow. I dont think you ever get too old to not
appreciate a long-distance hug from Mom.
My interviews with the ESPN executives went
well. I also met SportsCenter anchors, including the
wildly popular Chris Berman and Dan Patrick. At
rst it seemed like a dream come true. But the net-
work was still very young at the time, and they
couldnt tell me exactly what my duties would be. It
would be a leap of faith on both of our parts if I ac-
cepted a position there.
With two good offers on the table, I had a decision
to make. Many people thought I should take the
ESPN job. After all, wasnt my goal to be a network
sportscaster? But I knew myself. I thought I needed
X 53 x
From the Heart
more experience to have any real staying power at
ESPN. Id never even covered pro teams. I didnt want
to be the answer to a trivia question: What woman
was hired by ESPN in 1987 and red a year later?
So I took the job in Atlanta. It was the right de-
cision, professionally and personally. Atlanta is an
amazing city, with a great energy and vibe. I loved it
there, and I traveled with Atlantas NBA team, the
Hawks. I got to know players like Dominique Wilkins
and Doc Rivers, and I was gratied to earn their re-
spect. Head coach Mike Fratello always treated me
fairlythat is, he treated me the same as all the male
reporters covering the Hawks.
I also became a radio personality in Atlanta, work-
ing for V-103, the top-rated urban contemporary sta-
tion. I have to say there are a lot of advantages to
radio. People listen to you. Theyre not distracted by
your hair and clothesand youre not distracted by
your hair and clothes. I was part of the morning show
(of course, it was a morning show) hosted by Mike
Roberts. I had a couple of sportscasts on the show,
but I was more like Mikes cohost. He was a phenom-
enal host and extremely popular. All the major stars
who came to town visited us in the studio. I met and
X 54 x
If at First You Dont Succeed, Dive Back In
interviewed Will Smith, Smokey Robinson, Deion
Sandersthe list went on and on. I was living
happily ever after in Atlantaor so I thought. I -
nally felt that all of my persistence and hard work
was paying off.
I know what its like to want something right away.
Maybe youve reached the difcult decision to make
a change in your life, and youre eager to see the re-
sults now. You become frustrated if things dont go
according to your time frame. When this happens to
meand it doesI just say to myself, Gods delays
are not His denials. He has put me in situations or
allowed situations to happenmany times painful.
Like not getting a job I thought I was perfect for. Or
negative things being written about me in the paper.
And the most painful, my fathers unexpected death.
But that is how I grew.
Dont ever let anyone tell you that you cant do
something. More importantly, never tell yourself
that. At times it may take you longer than you like to
get where you want to go. But if youre patient and
persistent, you will get there.
X 55 x
From the Heart
Every action you take is one step closer to your
goaleven if its just a baby step. I remember when I
was looking for jobs, I had to swallow my dread and
just make the calls. It was so hard to gear myself up.
But I always felt better and more condent once I
picked up the phone and did it. Even if the person
didnt take the call or was dismissive, it felt like a
small victory that Id been brave enough to dial the
number. If you look for those daily victories, even the
rejections can make you stronger.
Life isnt all about rejection, of course, and I have of-
ten reected on the fact that my ability to pursue my
dreams depended in large part on the willingness of
others to hold the door open for me and let me walk
through. I was black, I was Southern, and I was a
woman in what was traditionally a mans world. I
knew that determination alone would not get me in.
I had to ask for help and to seek out mentors. I got
pretty good at it too. To this day, I am amazed when I
think about the people who helped me, and Ive done
my best to do the same for the young people coming
up.
X 56 x
If at First You Dont Succeed, Dive Back In
None of us gets there on our own. Ill never forget
the time I lost sight of that for a moment. Thankfully,
my mother was there to remind me. In the early
1990s, I gave a commencement speech at the Univer-
sity of Southern Mississippi. My mother was in the
audience. In my speech I talked about the things I had
done, what I had learned, how Id coped with adver-
sity, and the importance of following your passion.
After the speech, I noticed that my mother was
very quiet. I nally said, Whats the problem?
She just looked at me, then she said, Do you know
how many people have helped you? When you were
standing up there, it wasnt just you. It was your
teachers, your coaches, your mentors like the Chau-
vins, Dave Vincent, John Walsh, and so many others.
I listened to her words and I felt ashamed. Oh, my
God, she was so right. Why didnt I acknowledge
them? And I realized that it wasnt just the speech.
I hadnt fully acknowledged the debt of gratitude I
owed to others. It was one of the few times my mother
had ever expressed disappointment in me. Her words
stung, but they were true.
My mother has frequently spoken with gratitude
and reverence of the woman who made the biggest
X 57 x
From the Heart
difference in her life. It was her second-grade teacher,
Wilma Schnegg-Merold. She was widowed young
and never had children of her own, but she poured
her heart into helping an entire generation of chil-
dren. Ms. Schnegg-Merold saw something special in
the bright little girl Lucimarian, and she decided on
her own to become Moms unofcial counselor. She
advised her all the way through high school, and she
was determined that my mother was going to college.
She envisioned a life for her beyond her own expec-
tations, and she set out to make it happen. She
helped Mom get a scholarship to Howard University,
and when the money ran out in her junior year, she
organized a recital to raise the cash. Mom once said,
Her legacy to me is the awareness that youre always
a little bit better and a little bit stronger than you
think you are.
We need one another. If you scratch the surface of
a successful person, you will see the generosity and
sacrice of others that went into making it happen. I
am extremely touched by the selessness of so many
professional broadcast journalistseven those who
were my competitorsin helping me reach my goals.
Believe me, it is an impressive thing to work with
X 58 x
If at First You Dont Succeed, Dive Back In
people who are solely focused on the excellence of
the program, and arent threatened by a new face. I
cant tell you how much I appreciated the openheart-
edness of Diane Sawyer and Charlie Gibson when I
joined them as coanchor of Good Morning America.
Everyone had warned me that the world of national
morning television was a dog-eat-dog world. I found
just the opposite.
It is important to acknowledge those who help
you. Equally important is reaching a hand back to lift
up and support those who are following behind. You
can make the legacy of generosity more generosity.
X 59 x
4. Never Play the Race,
Gender, or Any
Other Card
M
any of us are quick to think the worst of
peopleand to assume they think the worst
of us. Thats exhausting. It also gets in the way. When
you believe you cant succeed because other people
wont let you, its like rolling a big boulder into the
center of your path.
I remember the rst (and what turned out to be
the only) time I complained to my parents, I know I
didnt get that job because Im a black woman. They
were having none of it. They sat me down, looked me
square in the eyes, and said, Did you stop to think
that maybe you didnt get the job because youre not
X 61 x
From the Heart
good enough yet? Ouch! Boy, does the truth hurt,
especially when it comes from the two people who
love you the most.
People often ask me, What was it like growing up
as a black person in Mississippi? I think our expe-
rience was somewhat different from that of many
other black families. Wed traveled around the world.
Wed lived among other cultures. Our view wasnt so
black and white. When we moved to Mississippi, we
didnt know we werent supposed to do certain things,
and sometimes people were shocked. Theyd say,
Whats with those Roberts kids?
Our parents shielded us in many ways. Not that
we didnt experience some harsh realities. But they
always put the focus on what we could do. They ex-
pected us to better ourselves. No excuses accepted.
The only time I can remember them cautioning me
was when I was on a traveling bowling team. This was
the early 1970s, and we were going to the northern
part of Mississippi, around Jackson. At that time, it
could get a little dicey for blacks in that area. My par-
ents sat me down and they said, Honey, if youre out
with your team and it starts to get a little dark, dont
run. Take our word for it. Just walk briskly.
X 62 x
Never Play the Race, Gender, or Any Other Card
Uh, OK. I didnt know what they were talking
about, but I agreed. I guess they were afraid someone
would see a black girl running and think she was run-
ning away from trouble.
Another reason Dad and Mom were different was
that they were from New Jersey and Ohio. It was a
culture shock to them when they rst lived in the
South early in Dads career. Theyd never seen sep-
arate entrances or water fountains for blacks and
whites. My mom loves to tell the story of when she
took my brother, Lawrence (we call him Butch), to
shop at Montgomery Fairan Alabama department
store where, incidentally, Rosa Parks worked as a
seamstress. This was during the Tuskegee Boycott,
when blacks boycotted Tuskegee merchants after be-
ing denied the right to vote in city elections. They
drove forty miles to Montgomery to do their shop-
ping. It was the rst time Butch had ever seen sepa-
rate water fountainsone labeled WHITE, and one
labeled COLORED. He excitedly ran up to the COL-
ORED fountain, but he walked away disappointed. He
sulked. Thats just plain ol water, he complained.
It isnt colored.
My mother always stressed that we were to never
X 63 x
From the Heart
use race as an excuse. To always look rst to ourselves
and address the things we needed to improve. It was
the way her mother raised her, and she passed it on
to us.
Mom told us of the time she tried out for a high
school regional choir. It was a very big deal. She had a
beautiful singing voice, and all her friends told her
shed be chosen. But when the names were posted
on the bulletin board, her name was not there. She
was irate that shed been passed over because she was
black. It was so unfair. But when she complained to
her mother, her mother said, Well, maybe you didnt
blend. Maybe your voice is more of a solo voice, and
the choir director was looking for someone who
could blend in.
My mother wasnt buying it. She said, No, I know
how to blend.
And her mother said, Well, maybe they were
looking for a soprano and you sang alto.
And my mother said, No, during the tryouts, rst
I sang alto, and then I sang soprano.
And her mother said, Well, maybe you were just
a little too show-offy.
My mother always recounted that incident. I
X 64 x
Never Play the Race, Gender, or Any Other Card
knew it was because I was black, she said. But my
mother just wouldnt let me say that. It was many
years later that my mom learned her mother went to
the school and voiced her concern. The principal
talked to the choir director. My mom recalled that
suddenly the choir director did make a point to
give her the same opportunities as her classmates.
Grandma Sally didnt want my mom to get trapped
in a victim mentality, because she saw the value of
focusing on your personal excellence. And Mom
passed the same mentality on to her children.
When it came to self-determination, my parents
were amazing role models for their children and oth-
ers. They spent their whole lives breaking down barri-
ers, but they did it quietly. They never got on a
soapbox. They just kept pressing against the barriers
until they fell away.
In the Air Force, my dads division, the all-black
Tuskegee Airmen, was segregated from the white di-
visions in the early days. And my dad wasnt always
treated with the respect he was due. Once, after serv-
ing in Japan, he was transferred to an Air Force base
outside of Dallas. My parents arrived about nine
p.m., assuming there would be accommodations for
X 65 x
From the Heart
them. They were stopped at the gate to the base, and
the guard said, Youll have to go into Dallas. There
is no housing available for you. And he was very
pointed when he said for you.
My parents drove into Dallas and had no luck nd-
ing lodging. Finally, a black proprietor took pity on
them and said, I do have one place . . . It was a room
in a brothel. The doorbell rang all night.
Things actually got worse, not better. Often there
were no lodgings on base for black families. My
mother got used to the way the other ofcers wives
looked at her when she showed up at their coffee
gatherings. They couldnt believe a black woman be-
longed in a group of ofcers wives. She always made
it a point to go to the coffees, though. Welcome or
not, in her quiet way she asserted her rights and her
dignity. Thats probably why many years later my
mom became president of the Ofcers Wives Club.
And she never said a word about it.
It must have been very painful, but my parents
were never bitter. Im sure they must have com-
plained at times. But they never let their children see
their frustration. They were extremely patriotic.
They believed that they could succeed because thats
X 66 x
Never Play the Race, Gender, or Any Other Card
what America was all about. And they made it hap-
pen, in spite of the barriers.
People have said that Im a trailblazer, but believe
me, the path was already cleared of the heaviest
brush by my parents and others of their generation
before I ever set foot on it.
Ive had many occasions during my career to recall
my parents determination and openheartedness in
the face of resistance. As an aspiring sportscaster, my
gender was often a much bigger barrier than my race.
I knew it wouldnt be an easy road. Women sports-
casters were few and far between. The only black
woman I saw was Jayne Kennedy, who was briey on
the CBS show NFL Today. She was a former beauty
queen, just like Phyllis George, who also appeared on
that show. Both women were gorgeous and talented.
But they werent necessarily hired for their sports
knowledge. I greatly admired them. However, my
strength was knowing sports. It was certainly not my
looks!
Back in the early 1980s, when I was just starting
my career, there was a lot of controversy about
X 67 x
From the Heart
women sports reporters entering mens locker rooms,
the traditional settings for postgame interviews. Be-
lieve me, I hated going in there too. I wasnt ghting
for equal access to the locker room. I was ghting for
equal access to the athlete who just happened to be
in the locker room.
In 1988, when I went to work for WAGA in At-
lanta, my rst major assignment was covering the
University of Georgia in the Southeastern Confer-
ence Mens Basketball Tournament. The university,
like so many at the time, had a policy of not allowing
women reporters in the locker room. If a woman
wanted an interview with a particular athlete, she
had to put in a request and the athlete would be
brought to an interview room. It wasnt an ideal situ-
ation, but I always played by the rules, so I put in my
request and waited patiently with my cameraman.
While I was waiting, I watched the male reporters
from competing Atlanta TV stations leaving the locker
room with their taped interviews in hand. We all had
a deadline to le our stories for the eleven oclock
nightly news. My competitors were heading back to
their stations while I was still waiting for my inter-
X 68 x
Never Play the Race, Gender, or Any Other Card
views. I did a slow burn, and nally Id had enough.
I turned to my cameraman and said, Were going in!
Just as I lowered my shoulder to charge into the
locker room, a university ofcial stopped me. I de-
manded to speak to the star of the game immedi-
ately. The ofcial ran into the locker room, and the
next thing I knew I was talking to a player dripping
wet in the hallway. He had literally been pulled out
of the shower. Thankfully, hed stopped long enough
to wrap himself in a towel before answering my
questions. But it was a suspiciously small towel.
Was I trying to be a jerk? No, I was trying to keep
my job. Imagine if my boss was watching all the
newscasts that evening and he saw that our station
was the only one without an interview with the star
of the game. He would call the station and ask what
happened. If he was told, We sent Robin to cover
the game, but she couldnt get into the locker room,
do you think I would have had a job for very long?
Believe it or not, this inequity did not make me an-
gry. It just made me get creative. I developed an un-
derstanding with the teams I covered on a regular
basis. If I was working on a feature story that didnt
X 69 x
From the Heart
have a particular deadline, I would interview players
after practice on the court and not in the locker
room. If I was covering a game and had a deadline, I
was allowed equal access to the athletes so I could do
my job just like everybody else. But I always said a
Hail Mary before I went into the locker roomand
Im not even Catholic.
Interviewing players in the locker room after a
game is part of the lore of sportsthe immediacy, the
emotion. But personally, I think we could do without
it. If you want immediacy, set aside a space for players
to talk to reporters right after the game, before they
hit the showers. Its not comfortable for anyone. Male
reporters dont like it either, and neither do the play-
ers. Michael Jordan made a point of never undressing
as long as reporters were in the locker room.
Athletes and coaches have always treated me with
respect, and vice versa. Part of it was that they just
wanted to be treated fairly by the media, and they
could sense thats all I wanted tooto be treated
fairly. Plus my passion for sports was obvious, and
they appreciated that. I truly believe that people are
drawn to those who are passionate about their work.
Think about it. Isnt it great when you see somebody
X 70 x
Never Play the Race, Gender, or Any Other Card
who obviously loves his or her job? It sure puts a
smile on my face to see it.
It wasnt only the professionals whose respect I had
to earn. It was the public, too. When I started as a
sportscaster in Nashville, they didnt know me from
Adams house cat. I was just this woman who thought
she could do a mans job. Those were the days when
people would debate whether a woman was really
capable of doing play-by-play. Before I started in
Nashville, a local paper published a feature on me, so
people knew I was coming. Not everyone was thrilled.
My rst day on the job, before Id even been on the
air, my phone rang. The voice on the other end was
gruff. He sounded like an older gentleman. I want to
speak with Robin Roberts, he demanded.
This is she, I said cautiously.
I dont like you. Thats what he said. I-dont-like-
you.
I was a bit indignant. What do you mean, you
dont like me? I havent done anything yet. Yes, I was
a bit defensive.
He said, I dont like women in sports. And then
he launched into a tirade about how women had to
ruin everything, and why did we have to get into
X 71 x
From the Heart
sports, anyway, and on and on. I just listened until he
ran out of steam, and then I said, as calmly as I could,
Look, Ill tell you what. Give me six months. Watch
my reports. Then call me back. I was asking for a
chance, a fair shot.
Three months later, he was back on the phone: Is
this Robin Roberts? Uh-oh! I knew that voice.
Yes, I said, waiting for the tirade.
Aw, he said, somewhat reluctantly, I guess youre
all right.
It wasnt exactly a ringing endorsement, but he
had given me a chance and thats all I wanted.
Dont let others dene you or dictate your attitude.
At the same time, dont assume that if you dont get
that job or opportunity, its because someone has it in
for you or has a prejudice against you. Give them the
benet of the doubt. Chances are, they deserve it. Ive
found that most people in positions of power and in-
uence want to help others achieve, and the public is
amazingly openhearted.
You cannot control what other people say or do, or
how they think. You only have control over what you
X 72 x
Never Play the Race, Gender, or Any Other Card
say or do, and how you think. Never was this clearer
to me than when I worked in Atlanta.
I was featured in a major newspaper article. It was
a attering story, praising my work at a local TV sta-
tion. The reporter could not have been more compli-
mentary. But in the article she referred to me as a
two-fer. I had no idea what that meant. I actually
had to call my mother and ask her. She said, Robin,
it means you are a double minority. Youre a woman
and youre black.
Oh. Thats right. I remembered that discussion.
The interview had been very positive, and I was feel-
ing good. At one point the reporter slipped in a re-
mark, saying that my boss could check off two boxes
when it came to being an equal opportunity em-
ployer. In a sense she was implying that being a black
woman helped me get the job. Then she asked a lead-
ing question like, Isnt that true? and I just went
with it. I kind of nodded agreeably, and said, Yeah, I
guess it is. What in the heck was I thinking?
The story got picked up by the Associated Press
and ran all over the country, including New Orleans,
where Sally-Anns husband, Willie, saw it. My brother-
in-law was livid! Not at the reporterat me. He
X 73 x
From the Heart
called me up and started right in on me: You know
how hard youve worked to be where you are. Noth-
ing has ever been handed to you. If other people
want to say you got the job because of the color of
your skin, let them. But dont let me ever hear you say
it, because its not true.
Willie was right, and his words stayed with me. I
realized how easily I could slip into a mentality of
not feeling I deserved the best. I was so happy to be
working as a sportscaster in a major market that I
tried to justify it in my own mind.
The lesson was well learned, just in time for ESPN
to come calling again. It had been two years since
wed last met. I had grown, and so had ESPN. I inter-
viewed with John Walsh, the managing editor of
SportsCenter. John was relatively new to ESPN. He
had a print background, having been managing editor
of U.S. News & World Report and Rolling Stone maga-
zines. I was impressed with the interview. John had a
denite vision for the program, for the network, and
for me. His enthusiasm was contagious.
I left the interview feeling exhilarated but, again, I
was torn. I loved my life in Atlanta. I would also have
X 74 x
Never Play the Race, Gender, or Any Other Card
to take a pay cutmy combined salary working for the
TV and radio stations was substantial. I realized that if
I moved to Connecticut, I would be living on the East
Coast for the rst time in my lifefar away from my
friends and family. That would be very difcult. But
John, who is one of the most brilliant minds and as-
tounding human beings I have ever met in my life,
encouraged me. He allowed me to see that I could
ourish at ESPN.
Ironically, one of the rst big stories I did at ESPN
was about Lisa Olson, a sports reporter for the Boston
Herald, who was involved in a highly publicized
locker-room incident. By 1990, women reporters
were generally allowed equal access, but as Lisa
learned, changing the rules doesnt necessarily mean
changing peoples minds and hearts. After an NFL
game, while Lisa was conducting interviews in the
New England Patriots locker room, a group of team
members surrounded her, taunting her and shouting
vulgarities. It was not only intimidating, but also
deeply humiliating. When the incident came to light,
it was front-page news all over the country. The play-
ers were ned, and the general manager was red for
X 75 x
From the Heart
trying to cover up the story. It should have ended
there, but instead, Lisas life became a nightmare. She
received death threats (Leave Boston or die), her
tires were slashed, her apartment was vandalized,
and her mail was lled with angry, obscene letters. It
got so bad that Lisa was transferred out of the
countryall the way to Sydney, Australia. Eventu-
ally, she returned to the States as a sports reporter for
the New York Daily News. Shes tough. But her expe-
rience in Boston made a lot of people sit up and pay
attention. It takes generations to break down the
walls of bias that are ingrained in the culture. Thanks
to ESPN and other pioneers in promoting women
sportscasters and reporters, weve come a long way.
Were not there yet, but I see the signs pointing in
that direction. Each generation is more open. When I
was at ESPN and was asked to speak to fourth-graders
at a school in Norwalk, Connecticut, the teacher who
invited me was extremely enthusiastic. In fact, he was
a little bit over the top. He introduced me to the kids
like he was pointing out some rare and awesome
species: LOOK, KIDS, A BLACK WOMAN, AND
SHES A SPORTSCASTER. AMAZING!
X 76 x
Never Play the Race, Gender, or Any Other Card
When I got to the question-and-answer period, a
little boy raised his hand.
He said, I like you and I think youre good. I dont
care if youre a girl.
I grinned at him, and said, Well, well be looking
forward to your getting older when you can hire
people. And thats the point. These kids naturally
see women in the sports world and in other profes-
sions that were once closed to them, and when they
grow up it will be no big deal for them to work
alongside women. Or to see them on TV in promi-
nent positions.
Ill tell you one thing. I know that whatever goals
we achieve, individually and collectively, it will not
happen through incivility. If you have to cut someone
else down to build yourself up, its not a clean win.
Even in the worst of times, a positive attitude and an
open spirit will get you further than anger and re-
sentment.
I remember one time seeing the phenomenal poet
Maya Angelou on The Oprah Winfrey Show. Oprah
was talking to her good friend and mentor about
growing older. Dr. Angelou said some inspirational
X 77 x
From the Heart
things that I will never forget. She said: Ive learned
that whenever I decide something with an open heart,
I usually make the right decision. Ive learned even
when I have pains, I dont have to be one. Ive learned
that every day you should reach out and touch some-
one. People love a warm hug, or just a friendly pat on
the back.
I really want you to think about this last thing Dr.
Angelou said: Ive learned that people will forget
what you said, people will forget what you did, but
people will never forget how you made them feel.
You know how it is when you meet someone and
later you cant remember what that person said, but
you do remember the good feeling you had after you
walked away from them? Strive to be the kind of
person who elicits that feeling in others.
X 78 x
5. Venture Outside
Your Comfort Zone
I
loved ESPN. Ive always said, I was at ESPN for f-
teen years and I never worked a single day. It didnt
feel like work. How many people can claim that?
John Walsh was one of the biggest sports fans Id
ever metand thats saying a lot! He could barely sit
still he was so passionate. Being at ESPN was a dream
come true for him. We hit it off because he saw the
same passion in me.
John and I had something else in commonour
curiosity. We both asked questions, challenged our-
selves, wondered, What would happen if . . . ? and
X 79 x
From the Heart
What if we did this? It was an extremely creative
environment.
Being a SportsCenter anchor was a wonderful op-
portunity, but I was always reaching for more. I had
been at ESPN just a few months when I learned that
there was an opening on one of the networks pre-
mier shows, NFL PrimeTime, hosted by Chris Berman.
Chris was by far the most popular personality at
ESPNand he still is to this day. He and the much-
respected Bob Ley have been at ESPN since the very
beginning. The rst time I did the six p.m. Sports-
Center (after a month on the overnight shift), Chris
was my coanchor. I sensed that all the male viewers
would take their cue from Chris. If he liked me, they
would like me. Chris treated me with respect, both
on and off the air, and his attitude helped me get ac-
cepted by others.
John Walsh had already approached me about be-
coming the host of a new show, Sunday SportsDay.
John wanted the program to be almost like reading
the Sunday paper. Of course, wed have highlights,
but the show would have a nice, relaxing pace to it. I
would host a portion of the show from ESPN head-
X 80 x
Venture Outside Your Comfort Zone
quarters in Bristol, and my cohost in New York would
be none other than the legendary Dick Schaap.
I walked into Johns ofce and told him how much
I appreciated the opportunity to host Sunday Sports-
Day. Then I asked him about the opening on NFL
PrimeTime, which aired Sunday nights after the foot-
ball games. When he told me the position was still
open, I burst out that I wanted that job too.
Now, John could have said, Whoa! Youve only
been here a few months. Dont push your luck. In-
stead, he said hed think about it.
After I left Johns ofce I wondered if Id gone too
far. Asked for too much. But almost immediately I re-
alized how at peace I was for having had the nerve to
walk in and make that request. I knew that wanting
the job and not asking for it would have been more
painful than being turned down.
At the end of the week John called me back into
his ofce and said, Im going to take you up on your
offer. The PrimeTime job was mine! Would John have
offered me that plum assignment had I not had the
nerve to ask? Probably not. I worked with Chris
(Boomer) Berman and Tom (TJ) Jackson for six
X 81 x
From the Heart
years on NFL PrimeTime. TJ was a former NFL stand-
out for the Denver Broncos. Hes a big guy with an
even bigger heart. Boomer, TJ, and Rockin Robin. It
was a wonderful time. I just loved it. But dont think
I wasnt aware that I constantly had to prove myself to
viewers, who were mostly male. I was always on my
toes, because the slightest slip could be an indictment
on women sportscasters. I knew that if Chris Berman
were to jokingly say innings instead of quarters,
people would laugh and say, Oh, that Boomer. But
if I were to do the same thing, theyd be crying, She
doesnt know what shes talking about! Still, I was
happy doing sports with the A team. I got there by
stepping outside my comfort zone and asking for
what I wanted.
By the way, it isnt always crystal clear which path
to take. How do you know if you should make the
leap? I wish I could give you a guaranteed rule to fol-
low, but there are no guarantees. There are going to
be risks. You just have to go back to the heart of who
you are and what you want.
At one time a major goal of mine was to be the net-
work TV host of the Olympic Games. The Olympics
X 82 x
Venture Outside Your Comfort Zone
have always held an allure for me. Im enthralled by
everything about themthe spirit of global competi-
tion, the awesome talent of the competitors, the in-
spiring personal stories, and the sheer thrill of the
games. I always held out the hope that one day Id be
in the broadcast booth (and I still do).
When I was working at ESPN in the early 1990s, I
received an interesting proposal. I was being consid-
ered for a job hosting the syndicated show American
Gladiators. It was a program featuring muscular ath-
letes competing against everyday athletes. The com-
petitions were bizarre, to say the least. The rules
were pretty different from the usual sports competi-
tion. Among other things, the gladiators would try to
knock each other off high wires and slam each other
with heavy objects. Not exactly events well be seeing
in the Olympics anytime soon!
American Gladiators was an extremely popular
show, and they were willing to pay me a ton of money.
I could host the show and continue to work at ESPN.
In many ways, it was an unbelievable opportunity.
But I wondered if hosting American Gladiators would
hurt my credibility. In particular, I wondered if it
X 83 x
From the Heart
would lessen my chances of one day hosting the
Olympics. I didnt know, and it was driving me crazy.
How could I nd out?
My agent at the time, Barry Frank, hit on a solution.
Why dont you call Dick Ebersol at NBC, he sug-
gested. NBC Sports holds the broadcast rights to the
Games. Hes the one who hires broadcasters for the
Olympics. Wow. Why didnt I think of that?
It took a little nerve. Id only met Dick once at an
awards program. But I picked up the phone and left a
message. I didnt really expect him to call me back,
but he didand pretty quickly, too.
I got right to the point: Would hosting American
Gladiators negatively affect my chances of his hiring
me to work on the Olympics one day? He told me he
thought Id already established a lot of credibility at
ESPN. Joining Gladiators wouldnt necessarily hurt
me, but it wasnt a career booster either. Dick knew
that Gladiators would mean a big payday for me, and
he didnt want to stand in the way. I appreciated his
professionalism, candor, and warmth, and I think he
knew how much I valued his opinion. I passed on
American Gladiators. I had never taken a job for the
money, and I wasnt about to start.
X 84 x
Venture Outside Your Comfort Zone
There is a certain mentality in our culture: Always
go with the money. I know many people who think
that taking a pay cut or turning down a more lucrative
job is going backward. I just dont get that mentality.
If youre dragging yourself into work every day, how
is that anyones denition of success? Now, I have to
be honest. Im single, and I make good money, so I
have it easier than most people. Its expensive raising a
family. But I still believe that when you make choices
solely based on the money, youre digging a hole. Ive
met many highly paid, miserable people. What good is
money if youre not whistling on your way to work?
In 1992, I did get to cover my rst Olympics, in
Barcelona. The beauty of being at ESPN was that we
didnt have to be the broadcast-rights holder. We had
an audience who followed us, and they expected cov-
erage of every sports event. If it were the National
Tiddly Winks Championship, they would have ex-
pected us to cover it. So I went to Barcelona as host
for SportsCenter.
It was a thrill just to be there, and I was in
Barcelona for quite a while. When youre on assign-
ment at the Olympics, youre there for weeks before-
hand, setting up and doing background stories. You
X 85 x
From the Heart
share an apartment with other members of the crew,
and you really get to know one another.
Before the games we worked hard, and sometimes
we got a little punchy because we were working crazy
hours. The time difference between Spain and Con-
necticut was big, so wed be feeding tape at two oclock
in the morning. Then wed go out to eat. Barcelona is
wide-awake at two a.m., and wed go to the crowded,
busy main boulevard, Las Ramblas, and eat fantastic
food, then return to work.
Naturally, the close quarters and heavy schedule
gave rise to practical jokes, and we played them com-
petitively. On one of our nal days before the start of
the Games, I came back to the ofce after dinner with
the crew, and the ofce manager said, Robin, I know
youre going to think Im kidding, but Bill Cosby
called.
I laughed. You must think I was born today.
Robin, please, I mean it. She pushed a paper into
my hand. You have to be serious. Heres the number.
Right. I rolled my eyes. Im going to call this
number, and Mr. Cosby will be there, I said sarcasti-
cally. I knew it was a practical joke. I just didnt know
where it was heading. The crew was gathered around,
X 86 x
Venture Outside Your Comfort Zone
and everyone had good poker faces. OK. I decided to
play along.
I dialed the number, and a very cultivated male
voice answered, Cosby residence.
I was impressed. Theyd really spent a lot of time
on this joke.
Mr. Cosby, please, I said into the phone.
Who may I say is calling? he inquired.
Its Robin Roberts.
Oh, yes, Miss Roberts, he said, the chill leaving his
voice. Hes expecting your call. One moment, please.
I looked out at the curious faces. Youre good! I
mouthed to themand then I heard the voice of Bill
Cosby on the other end of the lineand right away I
realized it was Bill Cosby. Uh, Mr. Cosby, I said as
brightly as I could, you called?
He told me that hed called ESPN because he
hadnt seen me on my regular Sunday morning show.
He was afraid theyd let me go. They told him I was
in Barcelona, and he asked for the number. I just
wanted to make sure everythings cool, and they
didnt get rid of you.
No, sir, I said. I was stunned. Id been working at
ESPN for less than two years, and Bill Cosby was
X 87 x
From the Heart
tracking me down in Barcelona to make sure every-
thing was cool? Wow!
We became good friends over the years, and I
learned that Mr. C. takes a real interest in keeping
track of young minorities who are up and coming.
He has made it a point to watch their backsjust as
he was watching mine.
Since my rst day working in Mississippi, I was con-
stantly asked if I wanted to do news. And my answer
was always an adamant NO! Looking back I realize
that my posture was somewhat defensive. I thought
people wanted me to do news because they didnt
think a woman belonged in sports. It just made me
dig my heels in more.
I loved sportscasting. I never tired of traveling to
major sporting events. I reported from Wimbledon for
six years and ate strawberries and cream every time. I
couldnt get there as a pro tennis player but I did as a
broadcaster. The feeling was every bit as gratifying.
There was always something new and different to
keep me interested in being a sportscaster. But then I
made a move that would open up that world I had re-
X 88 x
Venture Outside Your Comfort Zone
jected so long. This chapter of my career arrived in
the guise of the best sportscasting offer of my life. In
the mid-1990s, I was offered the job as host of ABCs
Wide World of Sports. I had given up my spot on NFL
Primetime so I could explore opportunities like this. I
had watched that show, with its incomparable host,
Jim McKay, all my life. It was must-see TV. Who
could forget Jim McKays rich voice and his famous
line, the thrill of victory and the agony of defeat?
To be a SportsCenter anchor AND the host of ABCs
Wide World of Sports was more than even I could have
imagined. Before my rst show, Jim McKay himself
called the control room to wish me luck. Hes such a
class act.
Since I was at ABC most weekends hosting Wide
World, the folks at Good Morning America Sunday
asked if I could le sports stories for them from time
to time. The cohosts were Willow Bay and Bill Ritter,
and they made me feel like part of the team. My re-
ports were well received, and before long the execu-
tives at Good Morning America were also asking me
to do sports stories for them. When Willow Bay, who
has always been a big supporter of mine, announced
that she was leaving GMA Sunday, the producer,
X 89 x
From the Heart
Doc Jarden, approached me about lling in for Wil-
low as cohost with Bill Ritter. And just like that I was
facing my big moment of truth. Not only did I love
sports, but I still had that voice inside of me saying I
would be letting women down if I left sportscasting.
I wrestled with the decision. Was it time to venture
into new territory, to expand my horizons? Doc Jar-
den, sensing my apprehension, wisely suggested that
I would be helping the team if I accepted. I had al-
ways been a team player, so I said yes. I also said yes
because the time was right. I couldnt have guessed
then how much the decision would change my life.
Before long I was doing human-interest stories dur-
ing the week for GMA. And then I was lling in for
Diane Sawyer as cohost with Charlie Gibson. The
rst time I lled in for Diane in 1999, I was so ner-
vous. It was moments before we were going on the air,
and my right knee was bobbing up and down under
the desk (a family traitwe all do it when were ex-
cited). Charlie reached down, gently placed his hand
on my wildly bobbing knee and said, Darlin, dont
worry; youre going to be just ne. And I was.
I had chosen to give myself the benet of the
doubt, to resist becoming stagnant, to see what other
X 90 x
Venture Outside Your Comfort Zone
possibilities were out there for me. It dawned on me
that I was limiting myself by just doing sports. Keep
in mind that when Id started sportscasting, it was all
about the game, but in recent years Id been covering
more and more serious news stories around sports
AIDS with Arthur Ashe and Magic Johnson; the
O. J. Simpson trial; the Mike Tyson trial; the steroid
scandal. The truth was, Id always said I didnt want to
do news, but I was already doing newsand I enjoyed
it. But when I was asked to become a full-time GMA
coanchor in early 2005, it was a big decision. I didnt
want to disappoint all the young women who looked
up to me as a role model. I was afraid Id be letting
them down. When I mentioned my concern to Billie
Jean King, whod been my role model and had be-
come a friend, she said, Robin, snap out of it. Youll
take all of us with you, and when you do talk about
women in sports, youll have a bigger platform.
Thats what I love about Billie Jean. Shes so open and
inclusive. And she was right. The idea of having a
broader audience appealed to menot just sports
fans, but all kinds of people with varying interests
would be tuning in. Instead of frat boys running up
to me chanting the ESPN theme song, da-da-da,
X 91 x
From the Heart
da-da-da, moms driving minivans were stopping me!
For the viewers, GMA was like a family, and I was
honored to be invited into millions of homes for
breakfast every morning. Hope you dont mind that I
prefer tea to coffee. One sugar, please. I also realized
that as a GMA anchor, I was a more visible role
model for young women.
There is a difference between running from some-
thing and running to something. For me, Good Morn-
ing America denitely represented running to my
future. Not only would I do news; I realized that I
wanted to do news. Reecting on the change in my
career, I thought about how calculated and well
planned my journey in sportscasting had been, yet
how serendipitous my landing in news was. I saw that
life is both thingsplans and surprises. Sometimes
you just dont know what you want until youve ex-
perienced it.
Being at GMA may seem glamorous. Im sure
many people are under the impression that the hosts
just work from seven to nine a.m. every day. It may
come as a shock but, no, we dont just work two
hours a day. We dont just show up, get all made up,
do the show, and then say, Have a great day, and go
X 92 x
Venture Outside Your Comfort Zone
and eat bon-bons or Krispy Kreme donutsmy per-
sonal favorite since I was a kid.
My day starts at four a.m. Im at our studios in
Times Square by ve a.m., and head straight for the
makeup room. All the way through college I never
used makeup, and my hair was always pulled back
in a ponytail. My mom told me when I graduated,
Honey, I love you and you are Gods child, but
natural beauty will take you only so far. It takes al-
most an hour for my wonderful makeup and hair
peopleTeam Beauty, I call themto get me TV-
ready. Im squirming in the chair the entire time. Be-
fore we go on the air we have a production meeting
where we discuss in detail the mornings program.
GMA is challenging and tests all a broadcasters
skills. One moment youre interviewing a world
leader or someone who has just been through a
tragedythe next moment youre chatting up the
hottest movie star or whipping up something in the
kitchen with Emeril Lagasse. I learned a lot by watch-
ing two of the best: Charlie Gibson and Diane
Sawyer. I cried like a baby when Charlie left GMA
after an incredible nineteen years. He is one of the
most down-to-earth people I have ever met. Just
X 93 x
From the Heart
thinking of him right now makes me smile. Diane
never ceases to amaze me. I have never known anyone
of her stature who works harder than she does. Being
on the set with Diane is kind of like being on the
court with Michael Jordan. She elevates my game.
She demands so much of herself, it makes everyone
around her strive to be better. Plus, she has a wicked
sense of humor. Shes a hoot!
I am usually at the studio until at least ten a.m.,
then I go to our main ofces uptown. By the time I
get there the incredible, tireless GMA staff is already
hard at work on the next days show. My afternoon is
spent making calls or conducting interviews. Its usu-
ally ve p.m. before I get back home. And the evening
is spent poring over pages of research for the topics I
will be discussing on the program the next morning.
Thats a normal day when there isnt breaking news.
Its a hectic schedule. And I relish every second of it.
But you dont just fall into having a career like this. I
dont know a single successful person who doesnt
work harder and smarter than everybody else.
The job calls for a lot of traveling around the world.
I was in Kuwait when the Iraq War began in March of
2003. I remember visiting one of the military camps
X 94 x
Venture Outside Your Comfort Zone
on the border of Iraq. I was struck with how young
those brave soldiers were. The day I visited, it was Se-
lection Sundayalso known as March Madness
back in the United States. Thats the day when all the
teams are announced that will be taking part in the
NCAA Basketball Tournament. When the young sol-
diers spotted me, they recognized me from my ESPN
days when I covered the tournament. They ran up to
me and started asking me question after question.
Who were the top seeds in the tourney? Who did I
think would win the national championship? How
much fun is it to work with the irrepressible Dick Vi-
tale? Here they were, about to go to war, but at that
moment all they cared about was whether their fa-
vorite team was headed for the Big Dance. I immedi-
ately called the assignment desk at ESPN and passed
along the precious information to the troops.
Every person is capable of growing and changing.
Never forget that. Whether youre twenty or fty,
theres always an opportunity to shift course and
reinvent yourself from within. Im not talking about
physically changing direction. Im talking about the
X 95 x
From the Heart
interior changes that make you stronger, kinder, and
more connected to the world around you.
In 2006, I was at the U.S. Open when Andre Agassi
took his nal bow after twenty-one years in the
game. I had covered Andre at Wimbledon in the early
nineties. I remembered him as the brash Vegas kid
with the long hair, the pirates bandana, and the cocky
attitude. He used to say, Image is everything, and he
seemed to live that way. Sure, he was extremely tal-
ented, but it all seemed to be supercial. No depth
whatsoever. Boy, was I wrong!
Fast-forward to 2006. When he retired from ten-
nis at age thirty-six, Andre was a man, not a boy. He
had matured into a husband and father, a responsible
adult, an unbelievable role model. Hed personally
given away $60 million through the Andre Agassi
Charitable Foundation, which helps inner-city kids
from Las Vegas get a start in life. He lost his last
match, but the fans didnt care. They were on their
feet, cheering and screaming for him. When he took
the microphone from the courtside reporter, Mary
Jo Fernandez, to say a few words to the fans, he was
weepingand so were the rest of us. He was so
humble, so full of gratitude. Through his tears he
X 96 x
Venture Outside Your Comfort Zone
said, The scoreboard said I lost today, but what the
scoreboard doesnt say is what it is I have found. And
over the last twenty-one years, I have found loyalty.
You have pulled for me on court and also in life. Ive
found inspiration. You have willed me to succeed
sometimes even in my lowest moments. And Ive
found generosity. You have given me your shoulders
to stand on to reach for my dreams, dreams I could
never have reached without you. Over the last
twenty-one years, I have found you, and I will take
you and the memory of you with me for the rest of
my life. Thank you.
He had won. It was one of the most beautiful mo-
ments Ive seen in sports. And it was made even more
poignant by the knowledge of the transformation
Andre had achieved during his career. Somewhere
along the way he made a choice to step up to the
plate and live a life of meaning and substance. What
an inspiration for all of us. Further proof its never
too late to change our way of thinking.
When Im talking to groups, young or old, I like to
challenge them with this question: What would you
X 97 x
From the Heart
do if you knew you couldnt fail? I immediately see
the faces in the room light up as people imagine the
possibilities. Then I tell them, Go with that feeling.
Because its fear of failure, more than anything else,
that will prevent you from having the life you want.
What would it be like if the idea of failing didnt
exist? What would it be like if people didnt walk
around feeling as if their entire identities were called
into question with every misstep? Ill bet youd see
more people spreading their wings and taking ight,
with the freedom to be themselves.
Fear is what keeps people in the comfort zone
but heres the rub: There is no comfort zone. Life
comes at us in ways we cant predict or control. You
get downsized from your job after thirty years and
are left with no pension. A hurricane blows your
house away. Youre diagnosed with a serious illness.
As my sister Sally-Ann likes to say, Life is live. You
cant rewind it. After 9/11, I was struck by how
many people talked about the importance of living
each day fully, as they thought about all those people
who went to work that fateful morning not knowing
it would be for the last time.
X 98 x
Venture Outside Your Comfort Zone
So if you really want something, but nd yourself
hesitating to make a change or pursue an uncertain
course, take some time to question yourself: Are your
in-laws stopping you? Think it through. Whats the
worst thing that could happen?
It might not be possible to make a change right
now. Maybe there are bills to pay and kids to raise.
But you can start planning for the time when it will
be possible. While youre doing that, look around you
and take note of how others do it. Collect their sto-
ries. Success leaves clues.
You have to balance pursuing your dream with be-
ing practical and realistic. Dream big but focus small.
I come across many people who want to make career
changes, but they dont have the foggiest idea where
to start. This requires creativity. Chances are, if you
make a career change youll have to start at the bot-
tom, and thats harder than you think. Its not just
your own willingness to take an entry-level position.
Youll nd that employers are skeptical of hiring sea-
soned workers for entry-level positions. Can someone
who has spent twenty years managing an ofce or
teaching school adapt to being at the bottom rung?
X 99 x
From the Heart
Not everyone can. You have to convince them that
your passion is great enough to put up with a few jolts
to your ego.
Last year I met a woman in Chicago who is an ed-
ucator. She was well respected in her eld and had
done signicant work in her community. Now she
wanted to translate that background into a broadcast-
ing job. Occasionally, people get lucky and smoothly
make that segue. Look at Rachael Ray. Thats not typ-
ical, though. I would have recommended to this edu-
cator that she start in a smaller market, but moving
away from Chicago was not an option; she was older
and had a family and children. Chicago is one of the
top TV markets in the country. You normally have to
have quite a few years of experience in television be-
fore you work in the Windy City.
If she hoped to get a foot in the door, this woman
had to be creative and persistent. I told her to use her
strengtheducationbecause thats what she knows
best. I suggested that the next time there were im-
portant issues in the city involving education, she
should have someone tape her talking about them on
a video camera. Then she should contact the TV sta-
tions in town and set up meetings with the news di-
X 100 x
Venture Outside Your Comfort Zone
rectors. Because she is well known in her eld, that
wouldnt be too hard to arrange. TV stations are of-
ten looking for local experts on various topics such
as education. I also suggested that she expand her hori-
zons to include radio. And by all means, she should
nd a network. Take a class, join a group, get involved
with people who share her interest. Most people be-
gin their professions right out of college, when they
have a built-in network of support, through teachers,
other students, internships, and the like. When youre
starting fresh later in life, the isolation of your quest
can be daunting.
Stepping outside your comfort zone takes an open
attitude and a tremendous passion. You have to know
before you start how much youre willing to sacrice,
how much time youre willing to dedicate to training
and study, and how exible you are about your work
environment. Write down your goals, then list the
steps you have to take to get there. What are your
strengths? What barriers do you have to overcome?
What will success look like?
I am always inspired by the fearless, dedicated
people I meet who take on new challenges later in
life. My parents were my primary models. My
X 101 x
From the Heart
brother, Butch, is a more recent example. Butch has
lived in Houston for many years, raising a family and
doing well in his career as a stockbroker. A few years
ago, when he was in his early fties, Butchs company
was downsizing. He didnt panic for a second. For
Butch, the downsizing offered an opportunity to do
something he had always wanted to doteach
school. He had a degree in English from Rutgers, but
had never used it. He decided that now was the time.
Today, Butch is a schoolteacher in Houston, at a time
when male role models are desperately needed. His
classes include a lot of kids who were relocated after
Katrina, making the timing of his career change even
more signicant.
Butch never really loved being a stockbroker, but
he loves being a teacher. I often think of the kids
whose lives will be changed because my brother dared
to take this step late in life.
By the way, speaking of being outside ones com-
fort zone, in November 2003, I had a rare chance to
experience what it was like to be in my fathers shoes
as a pilot with the Tuskegee Airmen. Remember my
brief irtation with ying when I was in college? It
never went anywhere, which is just as well. Im not
X 102 x
Venture Outside Your Comfort Zone
sure I have the nerves of steel required for the job.
But when Good Morning America did a fantasy seg-
ment, I swallowed my jitters and said I wanted to y
an aircraft similar to the one my father had own.
My training (if you can call eight hours training)
took place at Moton Field air base in Alabama. Moton
Field is where the Tuskegee Airmen trained for their
heroic run during World War II. It was hard not to feel
the spirits of those brave men who saved thousands of
lives during the war.
My parents joined me in Tuskegee. The rst day
we shot some background scenes and interviews
including one with Dad. The second day I was sched-
uled to do the ight live on GMA. I dont think Id
ever seen my dad so animated. He was normally a
pretty reserved guy, but he was really into it. After
dinner, as I was giving my parents instructions for the
next morning, he askedas only a parent with two
kids in television wouldDo I need to wear the
same outt for continuity? I thought that was so cute.
I assured him he could wear whatever he wanted.
Good, he said. I want to wear my red blazer, be-
cause thats what the Airmen wore.
The next morning there was a small crowd of us
X 103 x
From the Heart
on the aireld. My sister Dorothy had brought her
two daughters, Jessica and Lauren, because she wanted
them to experience this piece of history. Dad was
standing tall in his red blazer, beaming. Mom was
smiling too, although she looked a little nervous.
When Id interviewed Dad the previous day, I
asked him how he felt being an Airman at a time
when African Americans didnt have a lot of rights in
this country. He reminded me that the black unit was
considered an experimentin fact, it was called the
Tuskegee Experiment, which is a distasteful cha-
racterization, to say the least. But there was nothing
experimental about it, as far as Dad and the other
Airmen were concerned. We knew we couldnt fail,
he said. We wouldnt fail.
I asked him what it was like to y, and he told me
something I had never heard him say before. He said,
Flying was the only time I felt completely free. Its
what I loved about ying. It touched me deeply
when he said that. I was glad I could spotlight the
Tuskegee Airmen and bring the story of their bravery
and achievements into so many homes through GMA.
It was another one of those Aha! moments, when I
thought, I know why Im meant to do this. I treasure
X 104 x
Venture Outside Your Comfort Zone
the memory of that day, because less than a year later,
my father passed away.
I had said I wanted to y a plane like my dads. I
didnt mean I wanted to y the same plane. When
that sucker came chugging down the runway, I won-
dered what I had got myself into. It was old school
an authentic A-T6. My dad was going, Yeah! I was
going, Uh-oh.
Taking off on my televised ight was magical, a
dream come true. I wanted to pinch myself, thinking,
Im ying! It was one more conrmation for me that
anything is possible if youre open to it. In fact, it was
such a wonderful experience that I decided I really
did want to get my license and become a pilot, after
all. I havent done it yet. Hey, Ive got to have some-
thing out there to strive for. Keeps life interesting.
After the segment, I was ooded with letters.
People would share their stories with me. They loved
the bond they saw between my father and me, and
they told me how theyd been Daddys girl too. It
was such a personal connection.
I want to add that in March 2006 the Tuskegee
Airmen were awarded the Congressional Gold Medal.
Its the highest and most distinguished award in the
X 105 x
From the Heart
nation. (The rst recipient was George Washington!)
I wish my father had lived to see that. He would have
been proud. But I know he would have also said that
they never did it for the glory. They did it because it
was their job, and because it was the right thing to do.
X 106 x
6. Focus on the
Solution, Not the
Problem
L
ess than twelve hours after Hurricane Katrina
made landfall on Monday, August 29, 2005, I left
my home in New York City and jumped on a plane
with the Good Morning America crew headed for the
Gulf Coast. As a journalist, it was second nature for
me to rush into the center of disaster to report
events as they happen. But Katrina was more than a
professional assignment. This, my friends, was per-
sonal.
The Mississippi Coast is my home. Although Id
lived up north for more than fteen years working for
ABC and ESPN, Pass Christian will always be home.
X 107 x
From the Heart
My family still has a house in the Pass, which my sib-
lings and I call our house, even after our parents
moved to a second home in Biloxi to be closer to the
medical services at Keesler Air Force Base. We still
celebrated Christmas every year at the Pass house.
The last time I had spoken with my mother on
Sunday, the day before Katrina hit, she was hunkered
down in her Biloxi house with my sister Dorothy and
her two girls, Jessica, age twenty, and Lauren, seven-
teen. They had decided to stay. Moms health issues
made it difcult for her to evacuate, and my sister
and nieces left their own home in nearby Long Beach
to be with her. If youre lucky you have a sibling who
lives close to your folks. Its especially comforting
when you have aging parents. Thats our Dorothy. My
family tried not to be too worried. They had weath-
ered some ferocious storms in their day, starting with
Hurricane Camille in 1969, when I was eight years
old. As Katrina came ashore, Moms nal words to
me before I lost contact with her were, Were not to
be fearful. Wherever we are, God is. It was this
strong faith that had sustained Mom after my fathers
death the previous fall, and for all of her eighty-two
years.
X 108 x
Focus on the Solution, Not the Problem
Im not going to lie. I wished I had talked my
mother and sister into taking shelter inland. As I
headed for the Gulf Coast, I grew increasingly anx-
ious. I had been unable to get a call through since
Katrina hit. Driving through the darkness after our
plane landed in Lafayette, Louisiana, two hundred
miles from Biloxi, all I could do was hope and pray.
As my crew tried to work out the details of how wed
be able to broadcast the next morning, my head was
lled with the plea, Please, God, let me nd my mom,
my sister, my family . . . let them be OK.
I could hardly get my head around the fact that
just a week earlier my family had been together for
a joyful occasion. Sally-Anns oldest daughter, Judith,
was starting medical school at Howard University
my parents alma mater. Wed all traveled to Wash-
ington, D.C., to attend Judiths white-coat ceremony.
This is a beautiful ritual where the new medical stu-
dents receive their white coats and are welcomed
into a noble profession with a charge to do good. I
thought Mom would burst with pride. She and Dad
had always wanted us kids to attend Howard Univer-
sity, and none of us had. But here was Judith, fulll-
ing their dream. It was such a happy, hopeful day.
X 109 x
From the Heart
None of us could have anticipated that a week later
wed be hit by an enormous disaster. Thats the way
of life. You cant always be physically prepared, but
as I made my way toward the Pass, I was praying that
Id have the spiritual resources to confront whatever
awaited me there.
It was a rough ride. We steered through an obstacle
course of downed power lines, abandoned cars, and
the rubble of houses and stores torn to pieces. An
overturned tanker in the distance looked like a toy
on the road. It took all night to cover those two hun-
dred miles.
At ve a.m. Tuesday morning we reached Pass
Road and began to slowly make our way toward the
heart of Biloxi. Thats when the magnitude of the
devastation hit me. I have traveled Pass Road for al-
most four decades, and I know it like the back of my
hand. But I was completely lost. Where were all the
familiar landmarks, all the comfortable signs of home?
One of my producers, Brian OKeefe, kept asking me
how far it was to my mothers house. I didnt know!
In the end I needed a police escort to nd Moms
house. I will never forget the compassion of Ofcer
Ryan Frazier. When we nally reached the house, I
X 110 x
Focus on the Solution, Not the Problem
could see damage to the roof, but otherwise it didnt
look too bad. I ran up to the door, Ofcer Frazier fol-
lowing with a huge ashlight. I simply dont have the
words to describe my emotions as I walked in and
saw my mom safe and sound. It felt so good to hug
her close. She whispered in my ear, I knew you
would nd me.
When my sister Dorothy saw the bright light from
Ofcer Fraziers ashlight she screamed, No TV! No
TV camera! As if I could be thinking about work at
a time like this. But, you know, Dorothy was not en-
tirely wrong. In this moment, my personal and pro-
fessional lives did intersect. It was only because of my
job that I was able to get home and see my loved
ones, while countless others were still praying for
some word. And once I made sure my family was
OK, I rushed back to the satellite truck, trying not
to think of my familys close call.
Later, Mom described for me how the wind howled
and shook the house, carrying off a portion of the roof
and slamming a tree against one side. The screams of
the wind were so loud, I thought we were going to
take off into ight, she said. She regretted not evacu-
ating. She told me that during the worst of the storm,
X 111 x
From the Heart
a verse from an old Bible song she learned as a child in
Akron kept replaying in her head. It was about Jonah
and the whale: Hell just make you willing to go . . .
He will not compel you to go against your will . . . Hell
just make you willing to go. She smiled, remembering.
I said, Lord, next time Ill be willing to go. This will
be the last time I sit through a storm. I knew she
meant it, and Im going to hold her to it.
Good Morning America went live at 6:00 a.m. local
time from Pass Road, not far from my mothers house.
I reported on the incredible destruction I had seen,
trying to convey to people across the nation what it
was like for folks down on the Gulf Coast. I was doing
OK, maintaining my journalistic objectivity, holding
my feelings in check. I had a job to do, and I needed to
put my personal situation aside. But then my coanchor
Charlie Gibson started asking me if my family was all
right. Your moms OK? Your sisters are OK? He kept
at me. All at once, the feelings caught up with me
the emotional tide that had been building for the past
twenty-fours hours. I broke down and cried on the air.
At rst I thought, Oh, no, Im going to lose my job.
Youre not supposed to show emotion on TV like that.
Plus, Im not one to let things get to me. Being an ath-
X 112 x
Focus on the Solution, Not the Problem
lete taught me that. So did the strength and determi-
nation of my parents. But there I was, weeping.
Only one other time in my life had I experienced
grief coming over me in this way, and that was when
my father died. I was in the composure business. You
have to be when youre on TV. Work now, cry later.
But my tears had a life of their own. They were going
to ow whether I wanted them to or not. And by
now I realized it was OK.
The next day, I was weeping again. The police -
nally let me into Pass Christian, and I made a beeline
for our house. I was relieved to nd it still standing. I
couldnt go inside because the locks were corroded
from saltwater, but I peeked in through a broken
window and saw where the water line had been, high
on the wall near the ceiling. I was thankful that the
damage had not been worse.
I headed downtown. It was surreal. The park with
the tennis courts where I had spent my youth dream-
ing of playing at Wimbledon was gone. My high
school, once a picturesque redbrick building, was re-
duced to rubble. Seeing my town, the center of my
childhood, wiped out, was overwhelming. The tears
came again. I could have handled seeing our house
X 113 x
From the Heart
attened, because you can rebuild a house. But how
do you rebuild an entire town?
Im rarely at a loss for words, but the devastation
and the raw need left me speechless. People were
desperate for the most basic things. Our satellite
truck had a phone, and people were lining up like
they were at a phone booth, anxious to connect with
loved ones outside the area. Wed brought cases of
water, energy bars, and nonperishables, and the sup-
ply was quickly gone. Faced with such need, we gave
what we couldbut it was so inadequate.
Sally-Ann had sent her twelve-year-old son Jere-
miah to Atlanta with a group from her church, and
her daughter Kelly was also out of the area with
friends. Sally-Ann stayed behind to broadcast for
WWL-TV from a makeshift studio located in Baton
Rouge. She had seen my report from the Coast and
thats how she rst learned that Mom, Dorothy, and
the girls were OK.
I was also concerned about my friends Cheryl and
Luella. I wanted to know that they and their families
were safe. Both of them were happily married to
their high-school sweethearts, and theyd remained
in the area. I was especially worried about Cheryl,
X 114 x
Focus on the Solution, Not the Problem
who lived in what had been her grandmothers house,
on Hiern Avenue, right in the center of the storm.
There were no working phones, so I decided to walk
over there, but I couldnt even nd Hiern Avenue. I
left word around town that I was looking for Cheryl
and Luella, praying that my friends were OK. When
they showed up at the satellite truck, we just hugged
one another. Words couldnt describe what we were
feeling. Cheryl and Luella visited several times while
we were broadcasting. When the crew saw them
coming, theyd call out, The True Blues are here! It
was so comforting for me. But I could see how stunned
they were by the damage. I was painfully aware that
I would soon be ying back to my comfortable, intact
existence, while my friends and family faced an un-
certain future.
The day our GMA crew was scheduled to leave,
I begged my mother to come back with me. Every-
thing was too tenuous down there. I wanted to know
she was safe. She told me shed come with me if the
plane was big enough to t the whole Mississippi
Gulf Coast. Otherwise, she was staying. That was my
motherbut this time I was upset by her serenity
and determination. We argued back and forth, and
X 115 x
From the Heart
Ill bet you can guess who won. Finally, Mom shoved
me out the door. Be our voice of the Gulf Coast,
she instructed.
As I sat on the plane waiting for our gear to be
loaded, I was lled with anxiety. I kept thinking that
I shouldnt be leaving. I should stay and help my
mom and sister put their lives back together. Dor-
othys home in Long Beach, Mississippi, was severely
damaged. I should stay and help Sally-Ann, whose
house in New Orleans was underwater. Shed had to
face the chaos without her beloved husband, Willie,
who had died of cancer in November 2002. The
whole family was affected in some way. Butchs wife
Cynthias family lived in New Orleans, and their
homes were destroyed. They moved in with Butch
and Cynthia in Houston. At one point there were
twelve additional people crowded into the house.
Everyone was pitching in to help family. I felt the
pull of family stronger than anything else. I turned to
my producer, Sarah Ruth. What am I doing? I said.
I cant leave. I cant leave my family. I started to get
up from my seat. Im getting off this plane.
Sarah reached out a hand. Robin, she said, you can
do more good for your family from the outside. Think
X 116 x
Focus on the Solution, Not the Problem
about how many people watch our show every morn-
ing. You can get the word out.
I sank back into my seat. She was right. I thought
of all the people who had said to me, over and over,
Please dont forget us. Please dont forget us. I had
lost my bearings for a moment. I needed to focus on
the solution, not the problembut how?
I returned to New York, but I was numb. My mind
and heart were back in Mississippi. Then GMA came
up with an idea. Our then executive producer, Ben
Sherwood, said, Were going to adopt your home
town.
Huh? I didnt understand. We didnt do that sort
of thing in the news businessat least, thats what I
thought.
He explained that the outpouring from viewers
had been so great after they saw me crying on air,
that ABC had decided they must respond. We are
being inundated with calls and letters and e-mails
from people all over the country wanting to help,
wondering what they can do, he said. Lets bring
our viewers together with the people who need their
help. I was suddenly reinvigorated and condent
that this was where I belonged.
X 117 x
From the Heart
A few weeks later, I was blessed to return to the Pass
and announce that GMA was making a yearlong com-
mitment to help my hometown get back on its feet.
We would document the recovery effort on the pro-
gram. Wed also be on the ground lending a hand and
linking our viewers with our partners in rebuilding
the Salvation Army and the Corporation for National
and Community Service. I felt so grateful that I could
be used to bring together those in need with those
who wanted to help. Then, the following April, our
parent company, Disney, donated $1.5 million to
help restore sixteen boys and girls clubs on the Gulf
Coastincluding the one in Pass Christian that had
been cofounded by my parents.
While I was home, Dorothy and I brought Mom to
the Pass Christian house for the rst time. We all had
tears in our eyes, looking at our home of thirty years,
the rst oor completely ruined and cherished mo-
mentos washed away. But Mom was her usual prac-
tical, optimistic self. All is not lost, she announced.
It will just take time to rebuild.
There is nothing more empowering than focusing
on the solution instead of the problem. You draw
strength from your own ability to get through it, to
X 118 x
Focus on the Solution, Not the Problem
conquer the hopelessness. I was astounded by the re-
sponse generated by GMAs call for help. It was awe-
some. For example, I had said on the air that there
was a great need for chainsaws, and I encountered a
man from Tennessee who had set up a place in town
where you could get chainsaws. I saw you on the air,
he said. So I came down. When I asked him how
long he planned to stay, he shrugged. Well, as long as
were needed.
Thats just one of many, many stories. People
wanted to help. I rmly believe that it is inherent to
human nature to want to lift others up. We were all
in it together.
Being a journalist has exposed me to tragedy and suf-
fering all over the world. I have seen despair, but I
have also seen that no matter how great the problem,
there are always people dedicated to the solution. In
the summer of 2005, I traveled to South Africa with
former President Bill Clinton, to check on his foun-
dations projects in the battle against AIDS. Clintons
work is an inspiring example of practical action. His
foundation focuses on getting antiretroviral medi-
X 119 x
From the Heart
cine (called ARVs)and they go straight to the
source, the pharmaceutical companies. Over and
over, the former president made the point that we
have the tools to beat this, we have the medications
to extend life. We need to get the medication to the
people who need it.
We traveled to Lesotho, a tiny African kingdom,
where one in three people is infected with the AIDS
virus. Can you imagine that? The average life ex-
pectancy is thirty-seven years old. And so many of
the victims are children. It just breaks your heart. I
was constantly moved by the warm, personal connec-
tion Clinton had with the children. Their faces just
lit up in his presence. He told me, You look at these
children, and you see that they are the same as chil-
dren everywhere. They should have the same life.
While we visited one ravaged community after an-
other, I certainly expected to shed some tears. What
came as a complete surprise to me was that there
would be so many tears of joy. One day I came upon
a group of women dancing. I asked them afterward,
through a translator, Why are you dancing? They
replied, Were celebrating life. Imagine such an in-
domitable spirit.
X 120 x
Focus on the Solution, Not the Problem
I also had the opportunity to interview Rita Mar-
ley, wife of the late, great Bob Marley. For twenty
years Rita has been working to eradicate poverty in
Africa and Jamaica through the Bob Marley Foun-
dation and the Rita Marley Foundation. In life Bob
Marley was deeply committed to empowering oth-
ers, and Rita has dedicated her life to carrying on his
work, in the most tangible ways possible. Her ab-
solute commitment is an inspiration. Its important
that you can be an example to someone, somewhere,
and somehow, she said simply.
I know that some people may be thinking, Well,
its easy for President Clinton or Rita Marley to
make a difference. They have resources and connec-
tions. But the key to solving problems is the underly-
ing desire to do it. Ive seen people make miracles
happen just because they decided they were going to
focus on the solution, not the problem. I think of my
interview with Benita Singh and Ruth DeGolia, re-
cent graduates from Yale University, who did just
that. While they were at Yale, the young women
spent nine months in Guatemalas western high-
lands, where they were amazed by the beautiful
jewelry and handicrafts made by the local women.
X 121 x
From the Heart
They knew people back home would fall in love
with these items, if only they had a way to take them
there. On the spot, they decided to launch an initia-
tive that would link six womens cooperatives to the
U.S. market. They bought two suitcases full of items,
and went back to campus, where they sold them at a
300 percent prot. Fast-forward, they now have a
company called Mercado Global that provides the
marketing for these Guatemalan women. The rst
year there was a prot of $75,000 for the company;
the second year it was $600,000, with 90 percent of
the money going right back to the women in the co-
operative.
Benita and Ruth were kids. They had no special re-
sources. There was no blueprint. They simply saw a
need, and they decided to help these women help
themselves. They demonstrated that if youre open
and receptive, and youre willing to act, you can nd
a way to turn a problem into a solution.
In August 2006, I returned to the Gulf Coast for the
one-year anniversary of Hurricane Katrina. Before
my trip home I interviewed former President Bill
X 122 x
Focus on the Solution, Not the Problem
Clinton. He and the rst President Bush had raised
more than $130 million the past year for hurricane
relief. President Clinton told me it was important that
people on the Coast and in New Orleans shouldnt
be made to feel they are a problem to be managed.
He spoke with genuine feeling when he said, They
are an asset for tomorrow.
When I landed at the airport in Gulfport, Missis-
sippi, a few days before the anniversary, a woman
came up to me in baggage claim. Her name was Bar-
bara and she was from Pass Christian. She began to
thank me for GMAs assistance in the Pass, then she
burst into tears. She and her family had lost their
home and were now living in Philadelphia. She, too,
had come back for the anniversary. We comforted
each other and shared wonderful stories of the Pass.
It had been a year, but the pain of all that had been
lost was still very much on the surface for many.
I spent time with First Lady Laura Bush at an ele-
mentary school in Biloxi. Her foundation has raised
more than one million dollars to restore school li-
braries in Mississippi and Louisiana. When I asked
Mrs. Bush, a former librarian, about the importance
of devoting money to school libraries she said, The
X 123 x
From the Heart
point is to get schools up and running again. People
want to come back home. But they cant come home
if there arent schools open for their children.
I appreciated her making that point. Id noticed
that many people who had been eager to help in the
beginning were getting passion fatigue after a year.
As a nation we have attention decit disorder when it
comes to disasters. People say, Why arent you over
it? Why havent you rebuilt? But its a long process.
And from a practical standpoint, the people of the
Gulf Coast cant rebuild until they know what the in-
frastructure is going to bewhether there will be
schools and libraries and banks and grocery stores
nearby. In New Orleans, my sister Sally-Ann is wait-
ing to nd out if theyre going to rebuild the school
her son Jeremiah goes to. These are complicated prac-
tical matters, and they have to be faced in the midst
of enormous loss.
When I spoke with President Clinton, he said that
it usually takes three years after a disaster until you
can start judging the comeback. The rst year is
shock and grieving and picking up the pieces. Putting
those pieces back together is a longer task.
Two hundred and thirty-one people died in Missis-
X 124 x
Focus on the Solution, Not the Problem
sippi because of Katrina, including Sam and Matthew
Tart of Pass Christian. Geno Tart was working the
overnight shift in a mental-health center as Katrina
approached. Her husband, Sam, and two-year-old son,
Matthew, remained at home. Sam had been through
Hurricane Camille, and he thought everything would
be OK. When Geno returned home the next morn-
ing, neighbors can still remember her screams. Her
family had drowned in their home. It was Matthews
second birthday. You wonder how any human being
could possibly recover from the horror of that day. A
year later we talked to Geno, and Ill never forget her
words. This woman who had lost everything said, For
those who have survived, keep your faith and every-
thing will be just ne. Then she smiled sweetly. What
unshakeable courage and strength.
The morning of the anniversary we broadcasted
live from War Memorial Park in Pass Christian. The
legendary Patti LaBelle was there, along with the
Grammy-winning gospel duo Mary Mary, who joined
a local church choir to lift our spirits with song. It was
the sound of hope. Before the storm, my hometown
had about 6,500 residents. A year later, less than half
remained, and I think just about all of them were in
X 125 x
From the Heart
War Memorial Park with us that morning. We re-
ected on the year and thanked the more than 8,000
volunteers who had come to the Pass to help.
We mourned all that we lost but also celebrated
what we had gained. My mom, who was with me that
morning, perhaps said it best, Its been a time of
reawakening to not only what we had thats gone, but
what we can rebuild and do.
I was struck by how frequently in life we are tested
by adversity. If we allow ourselves to use it as a lesson
and a path forward, we can emerge from our pain on
the other side, stronger and more alive than before.
One of my favorite stories tells of a butterys co-
coon. Someone sees the movement of the buttery
pressing against the wall of the cocoon, and they
think theyll help it along and just cut a little hole
in the cocoon so the buttery can come on out with
ease. But the buttery dies soon after. Theres a rea-
son why its beating its wings against the wall of the
cocoonto make it stronger. Thats the way I like to
think about the trials we go through. Theyre meant
to make us stronger.
X 126 x
Focus on the Solution, Not the Problem
One more story about the spirit of the Gulf Coast
and wouldnt you know its about sports. On Sep-
tember 25, 2006, the New Orleans Superdomethe
center of so much suffering and despair during Hur-
ricane Katrinaopened its doors for the return of
the citys beloved Saints. It had taken $180 million
and an incredible physical effort to restore the sta-
dium in just a little more than a years time. But now
the Saints would come marching in to play their
archrival, the Atlanta Falcons. The whole city was
delirious with anticipation.
I was lucky to be in town as part of the pregame
show with Chris Berman and Bob Ley, wearing my
ESPN hat. The morning of the game I had breakfast
with Sally-Ann. Shes not a big sports fan, but that
day she was wearing black and gold for the Saints. We
talked about how some people had criticized the city
for making the restoration of the Superdome a prior-
ity, when so many people are unable to move back
into their neighborhoods. Sally-Ann was still living in
someone elses house, and her son Jeremiah was sleep-
ing in a closet, but she thought it was important to get
the Superdome up and running. She told me that the
whole city was obsessed with the SaintsFalcons
X 127 x
From the Heart
game. When your life has been torn apart and you
dont know if its ever going to be the same again, you
just crave a semblance of normalcy, she said. Today
we have this moment when we can root for the
Saints, and its so wonderful to see the smiles on
everyones faces. Were Saints fans again, not victims.
That night inside the Superdome, the mood was
electric. Its the only way I know how to describe it.
I looked out from my booth into the sea of 70,000
facessmiling, laughing, cryingand I just realized
again what these people had gone through. Just to
see the happinessit was unforgettable.
During most of the pregame show, wed been
broadcasting for the folks at home, while we watched
the Superdome ll up with fans. When it came time
to introduce the two bands, U2 and Green Day, we
opened our mikes to the house. I started to say,
Were bringing the music back to New Orleans . . .
and 70,000 people started screaming and hollering
and clapping and pounding their feet. It was a huge
roar. Chris Berman said, Your picture is on the Jum-
boTron. They were screaming for me, the hometown
girl. And I think they were voicing their appreciation
X 128 x
Focus on the Solution, Not the Problem
for the work wed done over the past year. I just sat
there, lled with an intense sense of belonging.
After the bands played, I closed the pregame show
by speaking to them from the heart, and they re-
sponded once againespecially at the end when I
shouted, Lets go to the game!
I wanted so badly to stay and watch the gameto
just be a fan. But I had to get back to New York for
the morning show, so I left the stadium as the teams
were taking the eld. The Superdome was rocking,
and I thought to myself, This is the power of sports.
What else could we have done that would have made
people feel this way? I couldnt think of anything.
I know that God doesnt take sides in sporting
events, no matter how much we pray for victory. But
He must have made an exception this one time. The
Saints crushed the Falcons, 233.
X 129 x
7. Keep Faith, Family,
and Friends Close to
Your Heart
M
ost parents stress the importance of the three
Rsreading, riting, and rithmatic. My folks
taught us the three Dsdiscipline, determination,
and Da Lord. Going to church was mandatory. If you
were too sick to go to church, you were too sick to go
out and play for the rest of the weekend. Later, when I
was a young adult and making my own choices, I
found myself still in church. Spirituality comforts
me. Its a bond I share with my family.
When Im on the phone with Sally-Ann, she al-
ways has to end with a prayer. Ill be on my cell,
walking down the street, and Ill say, Im going into a
X 131 x
From the Heart
bagel shop, and shell say, No, no, just wait. We have
to pray. So Ill stop and listen to Sally-Ann pray,
then Ill say, Amen! and get some funny looks from
people passing me. My colleagues at the ofce are
used to it, though. If they pass my ofce and see me
on the phone with my eyes closed, theyll say, Shes
talking to Sally-Ann.
My Grandma Sally always read a daily devotional
called Streams in the Desert. Each devotional begins
with a passage from the Bible, followed by a lesson.
My mother gave my siblings and me our own copies
when each of us was in high school. I cannot express
how powerful it is to know that my entire family is
reading the same passage as I am every morning.
After Grandma Sally died, I received her copy of
Streams in the Desert, with her handwritten notes in
the margins. I love having her copy. I treasure seeing
her handwriting. Its so calming to read her simple little
reections, tucked in the corners of the pages. They are
just as powerful as the words in the book. The rst
time I read her note, Help me not to leave anything
undone that I can do, Lord, I got tears in my eyes.
My siblings and I have all achieved success in our re-
spective careers. But my mom always says the greatest
X 132 x
Keep Faith, Family, and Friends Close to Your Heart
thrill we give her is when someone tells her, I saw
your child in church.
When I rst moved away from Mississippi to work
in Nashville, my mom gave me another gift of
prayerwhat she called the 2 Ls and 2 Ps of God. As
the early morning sports anchor for WSMV, I would
be leaving my apartment at 4:30 a.m. (What is it
about me and early morning TV shows?) It would still
be dark outside, and I would be a single woman living
alone in a strange city. My mother told me to say the
Prayer of Protection before I opened my door and
walked outside, and no harm would come to me. It
goes:
The Light of God surrounds me,
The Love of God enfolds me,
The Power of God protects me,
The Presence of God watches over me,
Wherever I am, God is.
I have said that prayer every morning over the past
twenty years. Several years ago I shared it with viewers
of Good Morning America. Barely a week has gone by
since that I havent received a request for the prayer.
X 133 x
From the Heart
I once asked my mother why she thought her four
children had been so successful in life, while others
in the family were less so. She replied without hesi-
tation: Manners.
What? I wasnt really expecting that.
You kids were taught manners. You were taught
how to do things. How to act. Many people dont
teach their kids how to be civil anymore.
I had to laugh a little, remembering how it was for
us. Perhaps it stemmed partly from my dads military
background. We were expected to behave at the din-
ner tableno elbows on the table, one hand in our
laps. When I was out with my friends theyd look at
me like I was a big nerd, but it was easier to endure
their teasing than to challenge my parents on this
central point.
Manners arent just about saying Please pass the
salt. Theyre fundamentally about respectfor oth-
ers and for yourself. Im glad my parents stressed
manners, because I learned a fundamental attitude of
respect. Unfortunately, this lesson has gone un-
learned by many kids today, even when their parents
X 134 x
Keep Faith, Family, and Friends Close to Your Heart
emphasize it. One of my nieces was visiting me in
New York last summer, and we were having dinner.
Her cell phone rang, and she picked it up, listened,
and said, Hold on. Then she hung up the phone.
First of all, I wasnt pleased with her for answering
the phone during dinner. But I was curious. What
was that about? I asked.
She explained, I gave my number to a guy last
night, and I thought Id given him the wrong number,
but I guess I gave him the right number.
I was abbergasted. So, you just hung up on him?
You said hold on, and then you hung up on him?
She shrugged. Thats how we do it. I could see she
thought her old fogy aunt didnt understand. I under-
stood, all right. I just didnt like it. You call him
back, I said. Tell him youre sorry. Tell him anything.
But dont just disrespect him. It took guts for him to
call you. I gave her my sternest look. And what are
you doing giving him your number, anyway?
She seemed a bit deated. Yes, maam, she said,
and went off to make the call. I wished I didnt sound
so much like my mother, but it was important. I grew
up believing that bad manners create bad karma. It
doesnt take that much effort to be respectful.
X 135 x
From the Heart
My mother also stressed the importance of using
proper grammar, not ebonics or Southern slang. If I
asked, Wheres Daddy at? she would reply, Be-
tween the a and the t. You didnt end a sentence
with a preposition in our house. If I said I was done
with my chores, Mom would respond, I didnt know
you were cooking. I was nished with my chores.
I remember when I was in the third grade, a little
boy called me a name. I went home and asked my
mother, Mom, whats a blackbitch? I said it like it
was one word. My mother didnt get all upset about
the slur. She simply replied, with careful school-
teacher diction, First of all, its two words: black
bitch. I still chuckle when I think of it.
As I got older, when I left my mother a note ex-
plaining where I was, that note would be corrected in
red ink and left waiting for me when I returned. We
didnt have spell check when we were growing up.
We had my mother. If we asked her how to spell a
word, she always made us sound it out and try to g-
ure out how to spell it ourselves. As a child, I hated
the constant corrections. As an adult, I came to real-
ize what an important point she was making. As a
journalist, I thank her every day.
X 136 x
Keep Faith, Family, and Friends Close to Your Heart
Even now, Mom doesnt hesitate to tell me when
she thinks Im getting lazy with my pronunciation.
Shell call me up after a show and say, Its CHAM-
PI-ON-SHIP, not champynship. People can always
tell when Ive been home to Mississippi. My enunci-
ation is so clear that the word S-M-I-L-E sounds like
it has ve syllables.
My mother was also insistent about our reading. We
werent allowed to veg out in front of the TV. She of-
ten said, Reading opens up the mind and imagina-
tion. She had book clubs for Butch and Sally-Ann,
because they were such avid readers. They still are.
My parents were the rst in their families to go to
college. It means a lot to them that all four of their
children earned college degrees. I think it has also
meant a lot to them that we have all found ways
of making a contribution in the world. They were
pleased when Butch decided to teach school in Hous-
ton, and I know they have always been incredibly
proud of the good work my sisters do. Dorothy, who
is four years older than I am and my closest sibling in
age, is a dedicated and caring social worker. She has
chosen to focus on the lost youth in Mississippi
those troubled adolescents whose brushes with the
X 137 x
From the Heart
law have brought them to the attention of the Miss-
issippi Department of Mental Health. As the social
service director at the Specialized Treatment Facility,
Dorothy develops programs designed to heal their
hearts and minds. Its tough work. We always say that
shes the one in the family who is absolutely guaran-
teed a place in heaven. Shell leave our names at the
gate. I can imagine her there, singing, as she has one
of the most beautiful voices Ive ever heard.
Sally-Ann has been my inspiration in many ways,
and she is an inspiration to her community, too. She
believes so much in the importance of mentors that
she started the Each One, Save One program, which
has partnered hundreds of local students with vol-
unteers in the business community for one-on-one
mentoring.
I get a lot more notoriety than my siblings, but
they are all every bit as successfulif not more so. In
many ways Ive had it easier. Being a single woman, I
havent had to juggle the demands of a family with
the work I love. My three siblings have eight children
among them, and although I have no kids of my own,
I get as much Auntie time as possible. Im chal-
lenged by them and proud of them. Butch and Cyn-
X 138 x
Keep Faith, Family, and Friends Close to Your Heart
thia have three children and are experiencing the
joys of being grandparents. Their daughter Bianca
has two children, Jazzlyn and Braylon; and their
daughter Rene has a daughter, Ashley. Their son,
Lawrence III, was a second-round draft pick in the
2005 NBA Draft. I cant tell you how exhilarating it
is to have a nephew playing pro ball.
Lawrence has a lot of character, and he needs it
in order to negotiate the tough world of sports
whether its college or pro. When he was a junior at
Mississippi State, he could have gone to the NBA, but
he chose to return to school for his senior year. I ad-
mired him for making that choice. Lawrence has
been tested many times for a twenty-four-year-old.
When he was a sophomore at Baylor, his teammate
Patrick Dennehy was shot and killed by their team-
mate Carlton Dotson, and it shook Lawrence up
pretty bad. He transferred to Mississippi State, where
he struggled with injuries and heartache. But he was
still named Southeastern Conference Player of the
Year his junior year. The death of his grandfather was
a tremendous blow. He idolized my father, and his
loss was devastating. Lawrence has stamina, though.
Hes a strong young man.
X 139 x
From the Heart
Sally-Anns three children have had to confront the
death of their father, Willie, and it has been very hard,
especially for Jeremiah. Sally-Ann and Willie adopted
Jeremiah after Sally-Ann reported on a story about
the difculty black kids had nding adoptive homes.
Sally-Ann took it to heart. Judith, as Ive mentioned,
is in medical school at Howard University. Kelly is
in college in Mississippi. More than any of the other
children, Kelly is a true-blue New Orleans girl. I just
know shell be there the rest of her life.
Dorothys two daughters, Jessica and Lauren, are
ne young women, and both are in college. Theyve
had their share of struggle with their parents di-
vorce after twenty-ve years of marriage. But like all
of the kids, they are extremely close to their family.
My parents legacy of keeping loved ones close to the
heart has spread to the next generation.
Family means everything to me. Often I hear
about family rifts, where one person isnt speaking to
the other. Grudges grow over insults and grievances
that people just cant let go of. It can happen even in
the closest families, when the stresses and strains of
life set you on edge. Sadly, it can happen at the very
times we need one another most. We should be
X 140 x
Keep Faith, Family, and Friends Close to Your Heart
pulling close, yet our angers and resentments can
drive us apart.
The most dangerous time for family breakups
seems to be around death. Death has a way of shak-
ing the very ground youre standing on, and some-
times what gets shaken loose in the process isnt so
pretty.
Like I said, it can happen in even the tightest fam-
ilies. When Grandma Sally died, the whole family
went to Ohio for the funeral. Afterward, we gathered
in her small apartment. Grandma Sally didnt have
much in the way of material possessions, but she had
some things of sentimental value, and Mom told us
each to take mementoes. I took her copy of Streams
in the Desert, and then I saw her wedding ring. I de-
cided I should have the ring, because I was the only
one of my siblings who wasnt married, and it might
be the only wedding ring I ever had.
When Sally-Ann saw me with the ring, she said,
Oh, I wanted that.
I hadnt considered Sally-Ann. Do you want it? I
asked, not very graciously.
Oh, no, she said coolly. You took it. I guess you
can have it.
X 141 x
From the Heart
Our parents had arranged to y home, but the four
of us were driving. Butch was at the wheel, and I was
beside him in the front seat. Dorothy and Sally-Ann
were in back.
As we were driving along, I could hear Sally-Ann
mumbling to Dorothy in the backseat. I couldnt
catch every word, but I got the gist of it: She thinks
shes so . . . Im going to teach my daughters better . . .
just took the ring . . .
Finally, I got fed up. I turned around and handed
Sally-Ann the ring. You can have it. I dont want it,
I said angrily.
Sally-Ann slipped the ring on her nger. Thank
you, she said. We didnt speak again all the way to
Mississippi.
When we got to our parents house at the Pass,
where I was being dropped off, we tensely said our
good-byes, and I stormed into the house. I was fum-
ing. I was never going to speak to my sister again!
About ve minutes later the phone rang. It was
Butch. Robin, he said, with a sternness that was
unusual for him, we are not going to let this hap-
pen. Families split up over this kind of thing, and
we are not going to let this night end before you
X 142 x
Keep Faith, Family, and Friends Close to Your Heart
two make up. He put Sally-Ann on the phone, and
we were both feeling kind of chastened. We said our
I love yous and Im sorrys, and we put an end to
the bitter feelings.
I marveled at my brother. Butch rarely raised an
issue. Like all the Roberts men, he was strong and
quiet. Maybe it had to do with having three sisters
and never being able to get a word in edgewise. But
when it was important, Butch was a force to be reck-
oned with.
A week later, Sally-Ann came over to the house
with the ring and a beautiful card. I truly want you
to have Grandma Sallys ring, she said. I was very
touched. We hugged, and we both knew it wasnt
about the darn ring. Today we joke about the inci-
dent.
Id like to tell every person reading this book that
if anger or disappointment or resentment has created
a rift with a parent or sibling, do what you can to
make amends. Maybe youll have to swallow your
pride, and maybe youll have to give up your feeling
of righteousness. But for better or worse, our family is
the one thing we have for sure in this life. Do what it
takes to keep them close to your heart.
X 143 x
From the Heart
I have had many occasions to reect about the quality
of parenting that gave us such a good start in life. My
parents were both very involved in our upbringing.
There was one steadfast rule in our household: When
the streetlights came on, the Roberts children went
home. We were not allowed to play outside at night
when we were kids. We always ate supper together at
the dinner table by candlelight. It was fun to see who
would get to light the candles each night. I thought
every family in America ate dinner by candlelight!
My parents did not want to be our best friends.
They were very clear about their rolesto guide,
teach, and discipline us. My father was the chief dis-
ciplinarian, something he accomplished effectively by
the sheer power of his presence. All he had to do was
clear his throat and we would scatter.
As I mentioned earlier, our home was a no-whine
zone. Dad and Mom never pandered to our lower in-
stincts. I remember coming home from a high school
basketball game and being very upset. Id had a rough
game, and Id been kind of a jerk. In the fourth quar-
ter, we were down to the wire, and I committed a silly
X 144 x
Keep Faith, Family, and Friends Close to Your Heart
foul. Just careless. My coach, Ann Logue, called time
out, got right in my face, and said, One more foul and
thats it, young lady. Youre out of the game. Every-
one was staring, and I was embarrassed. But I had an
attitude that day that wasnt very sportsmanlike. So I
went right back out and fouled as quick as I could.
Thats it! screamed the coach. Go home. Get out
of here.
I was burning, and I knew Id screwed up, but by
the time I got home I just wanted sympathy. So I kind
of whined that the coach made me leave the game,
without revealing anything about my own actions.
My parents immediate response was, Robin, what
did you do? They correctly guessed that my own con-
duct got me into trouble. I think about this whenever I
hear about parents attacking coaches and schools be-
cause their children complain about mistreatment.
Not that kids arent sometimes mistreated. But when
parents go rushing in with all their protective hackles
up, they miss the chance to teach their children im-
portant lessons about good sportsmanship and re-
spectful behavior.
Parents dont always realize how much power and
inuence they have. So many times I hear parents say
X 145 x
From the Heart
they dont know how to discipline their kids. But they
also want their kids to like them. I remember our
parents didnt care one iota what we thought of them.
If we didnt want to do something and asked Mom
why we had to, she said, Because Im the mother,
and I said so. And it worked.
We knew the difference between right and wrong,
and we knew when we were stepping over the line.
We didnt even have to be told. I remember when I
was a junior in college, I decided I was going to buy a
motorcycle. I knew I should tell someone in my fam-
ily what I was doing, but no way was that going to
be my parents. So I conded in my sister Dorothy. I
made her promise that she wouldnt tell Mom and
Dad that I was about to buy a motorcycle.
The night before I was going to make my forbid-
den purchase, the phone rang in my dorm room. It
was my mother. She said Dorothy had called and was
worried about me. Dorothy had kept her promise
and not told my parents the reason for her concern
just that she was concerned. Thats all it took. I got
up the nerve and boldly told my mom I was buying
a motorcycle in the morning. All she said was, Hold
on; heres your father. My dad got on the phone and
X 146 x
Keep Faith, Family, and Friends Close to Your Heart
told me in no uncertain terms that no daughter of his
was going to do something so dangerous and foolish.
He threatened to take away the car he and my
mother had given me to use at school. Still cant be-
lieve I conned themI mean convinced themthat I
needed a car on campus. Because I had such respect
for my dad I abided by his wishes. But do you know
that years later my dad still brought up that incident,
worried that he had not handled it correctly. My par-
ents objective may not have been to become our
best friends, but they certainly did. The core values
of spirituality and integrity have served me well dur-
ing all the rough times.
The hardest moment of my life was the day I
learned my father had died suddenly. I was on the
mat. I didnt know how I would bear not having him
in my world. At times like that you need faith more
than ever.
Butch, Sally-Ann, Dorothy, and I decided wed each
give a tribute to Dad at the service. The church was
packed. Diane, Charlie, Tony Perkins, and other GMA
colleagues made the trip to Mississippi. It was hard to
imagine having the wherewithal to speak, and I dont
even remember what I said. But I do remember my
X 147 x
From the Heart
quiet brother, the mainstay, stepping up and saying in
such a heartfelt way to the congregation, Thank you,
thank you, thank you, for loving my father.
And I remember my mother, who once again pro-
vided the model of strength. While the rest of us
were in a puddle, she carried herself with such grace.
The service was like a celebrationbeautiful and up-
lifting. When it ended, my mother led us out behind
the cofn, and we were singing the great gospel song
When we all get to heaven what a day of rejoicing that
will be . . . and well sing and shout the victor y. My
mothers voice rose above the others. And I realized
she truly believed that we were all going to get to
heaven, and what a day of rejoicing that will be.
Charlie Gibson told me later, Ive never been to a
service like that. It was the most uplifting thing Ive
ever experienced. I knew what he meant. It was a
powerfully comforting event. Afterward, we made
our way in a caravan to the military cemetery for the
burial. My mom, siblings, and I were in the family car
following the hearse. When we made the turn into
the cemetery, we looked back and were stunned to
see a line of cars as far as the eye could see. Mom
squeezed my hand. Honey, do you see that? she
X 148 x
Keep Faith, Family, and Friends Close to Your Heart
asked in awe. Yeah, Mom, I do, I said. She quietly re-
sponded, Im not talking to you, Im talking to your
father.
The graveside ceremony at a military funeral takes
your breath away. The military guard gave a twenty-
one-gun salute, the gunre piercing the air. Then taps
was played, and the ag was removed from Dads cof-
n, folded, and presented to Mom, with the thanks of
a grateful nation. It was a perfect tribute, but the
pain was still there. Ive been told that losing a parent
is like losing a piece of yourself, and it felt that way
to me.
These are the times when youre tested, when
your faith may waver, and my mother was and con-
tinues to be our rock. She told us that someone had
said to her, You can have sorrowful grief or you can
have happy grief, and she was choosing to have
happy grief. It made a huge impression on methe
idea that you can choose the kind of grief you have.
My mother is a remarkable woman. I cant say that
enough. Right now shes probably on twelve differ-
ent medications. Shes had what are called TIAs
X 149 x
From the Heart
temporary strokes. She had a knee replacement that
did not go well. Shes been arthritic for as long as I can
remember. Shes had numerous surgeries and has high
blood pressure, and she just has to be in awful pain
sometimes. But you wouldnt know it. She refuses to
complain. Just like the little girl who once sang outside
her parents window, she still sees the world as an op-
timistic place. She has a great sense of herself, of her
identity, and she is very independent. She refuses to
live with any of her children. She still drives. And she
makes a difference to others every day.
My mother has opened my eyes to many realities,
including what it is like to be aging in America. I did
a series for GMA where I literally walked in my
mothers shoes. That was the name of the series: In
Their Shoes. We hired the makeup artist who had
done such an incredible job for the movie Shallow
Hal, and he turned forty-ve-year-old me into an
eight-ve-year-old woman. I wore a suit that con-
strained me so that I moved like a person with arth-
ritis. And when I looked in the mirror I was a little
shocked to see not my mothers but my grand-
mothers face looking back at me. I started crying a
little, because it was such a shock. During the series I
X 150 x
Keep Faith, Family, and Friends Close to Your Heart
brought my mother on the show to talk about what it
was like to grow older. She was so elegant and inspir-
ing as she spoke about the seasons of our life and that
shes now in the winter of her life. And she enjoyed
the summer and she enjoyed the spring and now she
will enjoy the winter. Her words were very soothing
to many of our viewers. And every time shes on the
air I am ooded with e-mails and letters of people
wanting to talk to her. She still corresponds with
some of our viewers. Its really quite remarkable.
It sounds simple, but a positive outlook is a big
part of it. Its probably hard to be really successful in
life if youre a glass-half-empty type of person. I am
inspired daily by my mothers faith and optimism.
And Im certain that my sister Sally-Ann inherited
that gene. I am often in awe of her; shes like a rock
in the storm. After Katrina, Sally-Ann gave many in-
spirational speeches. Her theme: The power is on!
One morning, a woman in the GMA studio audience
said to me, I saw your sister speak. She was really
something. I grinned. The power is on, right? The
woman smiled back. Thats right. The power is on.
For me, Sally-Ann epitomizes a particular reection
in Streams in the Desert that reminds us: Great souls
X 151 x
From the Heart
have great sorrows . . . great truths are greatly won,
not found by chance. Thats the way she lives, and
its how she overcame the loss of Willie. Sally-Ann
and Willie had been college sweethearts, married for
twenty-ve years. They were such partners, in every
sense of the word. And suddenly, when he was only
forty-nine, colon cancer came and swept him away. It
wasnt even six months from his diagnosis to his death.
And I wondered, how do you go on if youre Sally-
Ann? But her faith never wavered.
Faith and familytheyre the foundation in good
times and bad. I never take for granted the upbring-
ing I had. Im very appreciative. I know I can trust my
instincts because they developed in me as a result of
positive experiences and teaching. But Im also aware
that I cant just blithely tell someone to go with your
gut, because that persons gut may have been honed
through fear and feelings of inadequacy.
Not everyone has a family to support them. And if
you dont have a family, create one. You can pick your
familybecause what are true friends but family? I
have also been incredibly blessed by my close circle
X 152 x
Keep Faith, Family, and Friends Close to Your Heart
of friends. Sometimes it awes me that of the billions
of people on the planet, you can nd those few who
become an unconditional support system.
With true friends, you can be yourself. If you have
to pretend to be someone different, if you have to
mask your feelings and your aws, if youre always
trying to look good to impress your friends, heres a
news ash. Theyre not friends.
When I was growing up, my parents were harder
on me about my friends than almost anything else in
my life. They understood the concept of peer pres-
sure before it became a catchphrase. They would grill
me: Who are they? What do their parents do? Are they
good students? Do they go to church? Do they smoke? I
was impatient with the questions then. Now I under-
stand.
It turns out my circle of friends were pretty solid
citizensCheryl Antoine, Luella Fairconeture, and
Pat Barnes, my mixed-doubles partner. We just gra-
vitated to one another. None of us smoked or drank.
And it just so happens that we were all from stable,
loving families.
My friend Pat Barnes was greatly inuenced by
Dad. He always said that he was a little awestruck the
X 153 x
From the Heart
rst time he came over to our house and met him. He
thought being an Air Force colonel was the coolest
thing. And guess what? Pat is now a full colonel in the
Air Force, stationed at the Pentagon. I have to say,
though, in high school Pat would probably have been
voted least likely to become a colonel and a family
man. I always thought my dad planted a seed in him,
and that seed grew. There was a bittersweet aspect to
Pats promotion, though. It came shortly after Hurri-
cane Katrina. Pat called and asked if he could have
Dads eagles pinned on him. It would have been so
poeticand Dad would have been honored. But we
had lost the eagles in the storm. Still, I know Pat was
thinking about Dad that day.
Today, I continue to be blessed with a tremendous
group of friends. I know theyre watching my back. If
a reviewer or commentator writes anything unat-
tering about me, theyre on the phone: Dont pay
any attention. That person doesnt know you. They
keep me sane.
At my fathers funeral, I looked up and there were
my closest friendsTara, Jo, Kim, Loisann, Julie,
Scarlett, Nancy, Michelle, Beth, Nell, Richlyn. They
ew in from California to Connecticut and every-
X 154 x
Keep Faith, Family, and Friends Close to Your Heart
where in between to be with me when I needed
them most. Driving to the cemetery, I thought, they
should be in the family car with me, because they are
family.
My friends and I have had some great times and
some wild vacations. Weve also had some rough
times, but were solid. Women have a gift for friend-
ship that often eludes men. When Im with my
women friends, nothing is out of bounds. If you had
a humiliating experience, youll talk about it with-
out fearand probably end up laughing. Men are
sometimes too careful with one another, not want-
ing to show too much emotion or vulnerability. I
think they could learn something about friendship
from women.
Our culture today so easily promotes the supercial,
the material, and the false. Yet if you look around,
the people with the greatest wealth and fame are of-
ten those with shaky family lives, addiction problems,
and struggles with depression. Whether you have ma-
terial success or not, true success is not possible if
you lack an inner life. I am a person of faith, and that
X 155 x
From the Heart
faith sustains me. It is a positive, uniting force. Too
often these days people use faith in a divisive way
to hold themselves up as better than others and to
condemn those who dont share their beliefs. The
faith I learned at my parents feet was a faith of com-
passion and service. Its a faith that embraces all kinds
of people.
Religion has become the elephant in the room in
this country. People are kind of afraid of it, and as-
sumptions have grown about one political party being
the party of faith and the other being the party of
non-faith. I remember interviewing Senator Barak
Obama on this subject. He had decided to try to
break through the logjam and create a place for dia-
logue. Senator Obama told me, We have to make
sure that we dont get so locked into a particular per-
ception about how one party or the other thinks, that
we miss the enormous complexity and diversity of re-
ligious views all across the country. He cited exam-
ples of evangelicals who are committed to protecting
the environment, and other folks who are dedicated
to helping the poor. These are potential bridges where
we can begin having conversations with one another,
X 156 x
Keep Faith, Family, and Friends Close to Your Heart
instead of loud political battles. As I spoke with Sena-
tor Obama, I imagined how powerful it would be if
we used our faith as an open channel instead of a
closed doorif we remembered that we all have
more in common than we have differences.
For me, faith is the voice that is always with me,
urging me to make a difference in the world in a pos-
itive way. I believe that whatever your religion or spir-
itual beliefs, every person can strive to live a life of
meaning.
I remember how my awareness of this was height-
ened long ago, when I was a college student. Early one
morning when I was leaving my dorm room at South-
eastern I ran into a fellow student. She was a young
woman whom many people avoided because she
would constantly talk to you about religion. Not a
very popular subject among many college students
especially those who were majoring in partying.
But that morning, even though I was late for work
I stopped to talk to her. She had a large poster board
and had drawn a long, straight line on it. She asked
me, How long do you expect to live? Good genes
run in my family, so I told her, Ninety to ninety-ve
X 157 x
From the Heart
years. She then handed me a marker and asked me
to put a dot on the line at the point I thought repre-
sented ninety-ve years.
I had no idea what she was up to. I placed my dot
about a quarter of the way from the beginning of the
line. She then told me to look at all the remaining
space on the poster board. Huh? Ill never forget
what she said next: Robin, how are you going to live
your ninety-ve years on this earth so you can enjoy
eternity? I was absolutely speechless. I could not an-
swer her. I was just frozen in thought.
I had heard countless sermons about that subject
in my life, but it had never before been illustrated to
me in such a powerful way. From that moment on I
made a conscious decision to do things that would
enrich my life, not things that would make me rich.
For me success goes beyond making a lot of money
or being on TV every day. In the end these are small
things that mean nothing if I am not striving toward
personal enrichment and making an effort to live a
life with meaning.
That is why every day I ask God for grace. Grace is
the innite love and mercy shown to others. It keeps
me humble in the awareness of my small place in the
X 158 x
Keep Faith, Family, and Friends Close to Your Heart
world, and it lls me with gratitude that I have been so
unaccountably blessed. Grace helps me see the good-
ness in all different types of people, and it helps me
maintain serenity in the face of insults to my ego, or
weariness, or conict. I cant predict what tomorrow
will bring, and I dont try. Life is lived in the present, so
when I ask for grace each morning, its not for tomor-
row or next weekjust for the present day. I dont try
to get ahead of myself. And you know what? When to-
morrow comes, Ill ask for grace tomorrow.
X 159 x
8. Make Your Mess
Your Message
R
emember when I said: Isnt it wonderful how
life can surprise you? I never thought Id write
a book, but I did. And I never thought I would be di-
agnosed with breast cancer. But thats exactly what
happened just a few months after the release of the
book.
I was enjoying my summer. Traveling around the
country meeting folks and asking them their rules to
live by. I was about to leave for a rare two-week vaca-
tion when my beloved colleague and friend, Joel
Siegel, lost his battle with colon cancer. I delayed my
trip so I could attend Joels funeral. It was a beautiful
X 161 x
From the Heart
service, lled with wonderful stories of Joels strength
and courage. We also laughed a lot. Joel had a terric
sense of humor, and the laughter soothed our broken
hearts.
Right after the service I headed to Key West to be-
gin my vacation with dear friends. It was a delightful
week full of sun and plenty of fun, but Joel was
never far from my mind. We decided to have a tribute
show for him on Good Morning America a week after
his passing. I had hopped out to San Diego to deliver
a commencement address, so I caught a red-eye and
ew back overnight so I could be there.
Many of our former colleagues joined Diane and
me to remember Joel. Former GMA hosts David
Hartman and Joan Lunden were there, along with
former GMA weatherman Spencer Christian, and,
of course, Charlie Gibson. They had all worked with
Joel and become good friends over the years. I did a
piece about Joels courageous battle with colon can-
cer, including his own reections, taped when he was
alive. Joel spoke about how hard it was to hear from
his doctor that if he had gotten a colonoscopy at the
age of fty instead of fty-three, the outcome might
have been different. As he fought his own illness, Joel
X 162 x
Make Your Mess Your Message
made it his mission to encourage people to have reg-
ular cancer screenings.
After the show, I lingered to talk with our medical
editor, Dr. Tim Johnson. I was angry that cancer had
taken Joel. How many people have to die before we
do something about this awful disease? I demanded.
So much money has been invested in ghting can-
cer, so much time has been spentbut where do we
stand? I wanted answers. Tim assured me that great
and signicant medical advances were being made,
but that we also had to do our part. We must be dili-
gent when it comes to our own health care, especially
screening for early detection. I knew he was right,
but to tell you the truth, it didnt really hit home.
That very night I discovered something that would
change my life. I had driven to Connecticut to re-
sume the last week of my vacation. Exhausted from
my all-night ight and the emotional drain of the
show, I fell asleep on the couch. I woke up much later
and sleepily started changing into my pjs. And then I
stopped. I felt a lump in my right breast. I immedi-
ately assumed that it was probably a pulled muscle
from my awkward position on the couch.
The next morning I woke up and immediately
X 163 x
From the Heart
gave myself a breast self-exam. The lump was still
there. For a moment I froze. What should I do? I didnt
really have a family doctor. I e-mailed Diane and asked
her if she could recommend someone. I also reached
out to my colleague and friend, Deborah Roberts.
She referred me to a doctor who agreed to see me
when I returned to New York the following week. I
tried my best to enjoy the remainder of my vacation,
but Joel was really resonating in my heart now. I kept
thinking about his message of early detection.
Monday morning, July 16, I was back on the air at
GMA. That afternoon I went to Dr. Albert Knapp for
a general checkup. Now, heres the crazy part. I didnt
mention the lump. Maybe I thought if I didnt tell
him about it, it wouldnt exist. Dr. Knapp gave me an
examination and took my family history. He had a
warm, easygoing nature that put me at ease. I felt as
if Id been going to him for years. But no mention of
a lump, and why would there be since I hadnt men-
tioned my concern to him?
However, just as Dr. Knapp was about to leave the
examining room, I stopped him. Dr. Knapp, before
you go, could you please check out this lump I have?
Im sure its nothing. My voice was shaking.
X 164 x
Make Your Mess Your Message
UnbelievableId almost chickened out! Here I
was, doing the right thing, being diligent about my
health care, but I had to force myself to speak up. I
guess that sometimes the unknown is less fearful
than the knownor at least it feels that way.
Dr. Knapp gave me a breast exam and felt the
lump. He immediately ordered a mammogram and
an ultrasound. I walked a couple of blocks to the ra-
diology center. Luckily, it was the end of the day and
they told me if I could wait they would squeeze me
in. Ive heard countless stories of others having to
wait months for a routine mammogram. But Im told
if you have a lump, most places around the country
will make an exception and see you in a more timely
fashion. Remember what I said earlier about being
patient and persistent. That is especially true when it
comes to your health.
My mammogram came back normal. It was fortu-
nate that Dr. Knapp had also ordered the ultrasound.
As the technician was performing it, Dr. Mona Dar-
wish, the attending physician, watched the screen.
Dr. Darwish had an extensive background in breast
cancer work, and her trained eye picked up a tumor
that had not been detected with the mammogram. I
X 165 x
From the Heart
later learned that is quite common to get a clean
mammogram but discover a tumor on the ultrasound.
This is especially true for young women whose denser
breast tissue makes it harder to detect abnormalities.
It is recommended that younger women and those
with a high risk for breast cancer have ultrasounds.
Of course, I see the wisdom of that now.
Dr. Darwish told me she wanted to do a core
biopsy. It was late in the day and I was tired and hun-
gry. I just wanted to leave. I asked her if we could do
it another time. She gently squeezed my hand and
said, Why dont we just take care of this right now.
I think she could sense that if I got off that examin-
ing table, I wouldnt be coming back anytime soon. In
fact, the next day I was headed to Atlanta on assign-
ment. The rest of my week was jam-packed. I had a
lot of catching up to do after being on vacation for
two weeks. The excuses were my feeble effort to mask
my fear. Once again, it felt easier to just not know.
Dr. Darwish was persistent. I had the feeling that
she wasnt going to take no for an answer, so I agreed
to have the biopsy. Im not going to lie to you. The
biopsy was not the most pleasant experience. Im not
exactly crazy about needlesespecially one being in-
X 166 x
Make Your Mess Your Message
serted into my breast! I was relieved when it was
over. Dr. Darwish said the results should be back by
the end of the next day.
After GMA the following morning, I ew to At-
lanta. As the plane pulled up to the gate, I turned on
my BlackBerry and cell phone. There was an e-mail
from my assistant, Ayana, saying that Dr. Knapps of-
ce had called, and I needed to answer my cell phone
because he would be trying to reach me. Id just n-
ished reading Ayanas message when my phone rang.
It was Dr. Knapp. I was still sitting on the plane when
he gave me the test results. Robin, its cancer. Im
sure he said more, but all I heard was Blah, blah,
blah . . . CANCER . . . blah, blah, blah. I do remem-
ber agreeing to have a breast MRI the next day in
New York and to meet with a breast surgeon.
In the movies, when you learn you have cancer,
you are sitting in the doctors ofce holding a loved
ones hand. I was all alone, about to get off a plane in
Atlanta. I had boarded in New York as just Robin.
Now I was Robin . . . with breast cancer. My eyes
started to ll with tears, and I put on sunglasses so no
one would notice.
A driver was waiting to take me to Pine Mountain,
X 167 x
From the Heart
Georgia. I wanted to call my family and friends to let
them know I had cancer. But I didnt want the driver
to know what was going on because I wasnt ready for
the public to learn about my diagnosis. He was a very
nice man, but a bit inquisitive, and I knew hed be lis-
tening. So I played a little guessing game with my
loved ones. Remember how I told you I was going to
have that thing checked out? I asked, and in a quiv-
ering voice added, What do you think I found out?
I guess my tone was a dead giveaway. They knew.
Theyd been praying for the best, but were prepared
for the worst, and here it was. Cancer.
What is so remarkable about that day is that in the
midst of being scared and shaking with my personal
crisis, I could become so uplifted and inspired by
bearing witness to someone elses tragedy. I was in
Pine Mountain to interview Michael and Jeri Bishop,
whose only son, Jamie, had been killed months ear-
lier in the horric shootings that took place at Vir-
ginia Tech. Jamie had been a beloved teacher there,
and his parents were still numb with grief. Neverthe-
less, they had agreed to talk to me for a story that
would air the rst day the students returned to Tech.
The Bishops were lovely people. They welcomed
X 168 x
Make Your Mess Your Message
me into their home and fed me delicious cherries.
Their warmth touched me, and I wanted to fall into
their arms and cry, I have cancer. But I pulled myself
together. They had lost their son in one of the most
tragic ways imaginable. I was there to comfort them.
The Bishops spoke so eloquently and movingly
about Jamie. When I asked them what they wanted
the students returning to Tech to know, Jeri said, I
want them to know that they are in the right place at
the right time. Her comment was in reference to
President Bushs words during a memorial service
that the thirty-two people killed were in the wrong
place at the wrong time. The Bishops felt their in-
credible son was where he was supposed to be. He was
a passionate teacher making a difference in countless
young lives.
I hugged the Bishops good-bye and got back in the
car to return to the airport. I was desperate for some
privacy. All I wanted was to get home. But my ight
was delayed, and it was almost 11:00 p.m. before I
walked through my front door. I collapsed on my
couch and had a good long cry.
I was feeling so many emotions. I was scared, an-
gry, confused, and even embarrassed. How could I
X 169 x
From the Heart
have cancer? I prided myself on being health-
conscious and athletic. Would people think I had
done something wrong? Did I think I had done some-
thing wrong? A million questions raced through my
bewildered mind, and none of them had answers.
The next day I had a breast MRI and met with my
surgeon, Dr. Lauren Cassell. In a word, shes phe-
nomenal. She clearly explained the situation to me.
My tumor appeared to be a little more than two cen-
timeters. During surgery she would also check my
lymph nodes. She assured me that my prognosis was
very good. My breast was swollen and slightly
bruised from the biopsy. (I told you I dont like nee-
dles!) So we would have to wait a few weeks before
she could operate.
When I told Diane, she swung into immediate ac-
tion. Diane and I have always been close. We call our-
selves Thelma and Louise, and some mornings we
feel like were in that convertible about to go over a
cliff. Weve always been there for each other. When
my beloved father passed away, Diane was in our
front yard in Mississippi the next morning. We were
backing out of the driveway to go to the funeral
home to make arrangements and almost ran over her.
X 170 x
Make Your Mess Your Message
She had stopped at one of my familys favorite restau-
rants on the coast, Mary Mahoneys, to get us some
gumbo. I cant tell you what it meant to my family
and to me for Diane to travel all that way to give
us such loving support. Its something I will never
forget.
Diane was there for me again after my diagnosis.
She called numerous doctors and experts in the eld.
Part of the reason that Diane is a stellar journalist is
because of her inquisitive nature. Her thirst for an-
swers and information is unparalleled. She is also one
of the most compassionate and loving people that I
have ever known. She knew I wasnt sleeping well at
night because I couldnt stop thinking. I was afraid
that Id missed something. So Diane would call me
and say, You can get some rest. Your shift is over. Im
on watch now.
I had to make a decision about whether to go pub-
lic with my diagnosis. It was so personalI longed to
maintain that zone of privacy. I dreaded the prospect
that people would treat me differently if they knew.
I wanted to keep things as normal as possible. Then
again, what was normal now?
A few days before my surgery, after giving it a lot
X 171 x
From the Heart
of thought and talking it over with Diane, I decided
that I would tell the GMA audience. The main rea-
son was that our viewers are truly like our extended
family, and I had felt their love and concern in
poignant ways. They had mourned the death of my
father with me. They had cried along with me when
my hometown was virtually destroyed by Hurricane
Katrina. I knew I could trust them with this new
pain, and I didnt want them to hear about my diag-
nosis from anyone but us. My voice was trembling
with emotion when I declared on air, I have breast
cancer. Diane could tell I was about to lose it, and
she reached over and gently held my hand. That
helped me regain my composure, and we continued
to talk to our viewersour familyas if they were
sitting in our living room.
It wasnt just about me. We tried to use the show
to educate people and encourage them to seek early
detection. We dispelled the myth that most people
who are diagnosed with breast cancer have a family
history of the disease. Theres no history in my fam-
ily. In fact, over 80 percent of people who are diag-
nosed with breast cancer have no prior family
history. Eighty percent! We also discussed the fact
X 172 x
Make Your Mess Your Message
that my tumor was not detected by a mammogram
but by an ultrasound. I said how blessed I was to have
discovered it early.
Diane ended our discussion by saying, The
woman who gave us seven rules to live by has demon-
strated every one of them. I quickly added, I now
have an eighth rule. Early detection. But the real
eighth rule, which I would call upon time and again
in the coming months, was an old saying from my
mother: Make your mess your message.
The reaction to my announcement was immediate
and overwhelming. Calls and e-mails started pouring
in to ABC. People wanted to comfort me. They also
wanted to let us know that because of what Diane
and I said on the show, they were going to be more
diligent about their own health care. In fact, the ABC
station in New York did a story later that same day
about a woman who went to have a mammogram af-
ter hearing our discussion.
By the time I reached my ofce a couple of hours
after the show, the calls were pouring in there, too.
Ayana was amazing in the way she handled the ava-
lanche. She knew I was not expecting this reaction
and wasnt fully prepared to discuss my situation
X 173 x
From the Heart
with everyone. The last thing I wanted was to spend
hours on the phone talking. But after Id been in my
ofce for a half hour, Ayana appeared in the doorway.
I think this is a call you will want to take, she said.
Who is it? I asked, feeling tired.
Elizabeth Edwards. Elizabeth Edwards had rst
been diagnosed with cancer at the end of the 2004
election season, when her husband John was a vice-
presidential running mate for John Kerry. Now John
Edwards was running for president, and Elizabeth
had bravely announced to the world that her breast
cancer had returnedand she was determined to
keep ghting.
I picked up the phone. Mrs. Edwards, thanks so
much for calling, I said, genuinely touched.
Please, Robin, call me Elizabeth, she replied. It
felt as if she were holding my hand through the
phone. She wanted me to know that she understood
what I was feeling, the uncertainty of what was
ahead of me, and also how difcult it was to go pub-
lic. She told me that she was very glad that I had de-
cided to share my diagnosis with the viewers, and
that by doing so I might have saved lives. It was an en-
lightening and incredibly helpful conversation. Eliza-
X 174 x
Make Your Mess Your Message
beth ofcially welcomed me to the sisterhood of
breast cancer survivors. Because the moment you are
diagnosed, you are a survivor.
That night, for the rst time since I learned I had
cancer, I slept like a baby. I know this may sound odd,
but I actually felt the prayers that were being said for
me that night. Its hard to explain, but I had an over-
whelming sense that the healing had truly begun.
On August 3, I nally had surgery. It was a partial
mastectomy, and some lymph nodes were removed.
My family was gathered in the waiting room. My sis-
ter Sally-Ann had printed out a batch of the e-mails
viewers had sent me. She patiently read them and
put a big S on those from survivors. Their stories
moved us all, and they would continue to inspire me
in the months to come.
The following days were just a blur. I was allowed
to go home and recuperatebut mostly what I did
was wait. Although every indication was that the can-
cer had not spread, I had to wait for conrmation.
Sally-Ann and Dorothy returned home a few days
after the surgery, and Butch arrived to help Mom
take care of me. They watched over me like a hawk
and wouldnt let me out of their sight. One day, we
X 175 x
From the Heart
ventured out for lunch and stopped at a drugstore to
pick up a few things. I begged my brother and mom
to let me go in by myself. I was tired of this watchful
entourage. But wouldnt you know it, while I was in
the store my cell phone rang. It was my doctor. I stood
stock still in the aisle and waited for the verdict. Good
news and bad news. There was still no indication the
cancer had spread, but it was more aggressive than
previously thought. The initial diagnosis was DCIS
ductal carcinoma in situa noninvasive form of
breast cancer. But under the microscope the tumor
looked nasty. I had an image of the tumor snarling
beneath the glass. The cancer was not DCIS; it was
an invasive carcinoma. My doctor told me I would
need chemotherapy. By the time I made it back to
the car, I was a mess.
Butch and my mom must have thought, We let
you out of our sight for one minute and you come
back in tears. They asked me what had happened,
but all I could do was sit in the backseat and cry.
They patiently waited for me to compose myself, and
I told them what my doctor had said. They didnt
inch, but I knew they were worried.
When you hear the word chemotherapy, you au-
X 176 x
Make Your Mess Your Message
tomatically think the worst. Im going to lose my hair,
Im going to constantly throw up . . . I may die. It was
the rst time since my diagnosis that I seriously con-
templated that. I may die.
Diane burned up the phone lines calling cancer
experts all across the country. I had a number of con-
versations with Dr. Tim Johnson. You may know him
as ABCs longtime medical editor. I know him as a
compassionate friend. Tim is always there when any-
one in the ABC family needs him. If you stub your
toe, Dr. Tim is there for you. Tim is knowledgeable,
but he also has an unmistakable spirit about him.
When I talked to him shortly after my diagnosis in
July he told me to be prepared for the possibility of
chemo. At the time, my doctors felt that only radia-
tion would be necessary.
But now I was facing chemotherapy, which would
be followed by six and a half weeks of radiation. I
was completely upfront with ABC executives. Unfor-
tunately, they had recently been down this road. Be-
fore we lost Joel Siegel, we were stunned by the
death of our beloved anchor, Peter Jennings. He died
in 2005 due to complications from lung cancer.
ABC News president David Westin was wonder-
X 177 x
From the Heart
ful. He didnt talk to me as an employee, but rather
as a dear friend. David assured me he would see that
I had whatever I needed. Bob Iger, president and
CEO of our parent company, Walt Disney, person-
ally told me the same thing. Anne Sweeney, presi-
dent of the Disney-ABC Television Group, took me
to lunch to assure me that I had their full support.
What a comfort to know the company you work
for gets itgets that who you are is far more impor-
tant than what you do. So many cancer patients have
told me they were afraid to tell their employers for
fear of losing their jobs. Its hard to believe that any
company would abandon an employee when she
needed them the most. Fortunately, that was one
thing I didnt have to worry about.
I returned to GMA ten days after my surgery. I
was still quite sore, but I wanted to get back to work.
I needed my routine to help keep my mind off what
was ahead of me. When I walked into my dressing
room, it was lled with balloons, owers, and color-
ful signs of encouragement. My colleagues had orga-
nized a happy homecoming. How blessed I was!
I met with my oncologist, Dr. Ruth Oratz, to set
up a schedule for my chemotherapy. I was still feeling
X 178 x
Make Your Mess Your Message
resistant to the very idea. I was a person who worked
out ve times a week and ate a healthy diet. I just
couldnt wrap my mind around the idea of putting
poison in my body. I questioned Dr. Oratzdid I re-
ally need chemo? She assured me that I did. Its like
that re in your replace, she explained. You know
there are a couple of embers in there that, if you
poke, could start up a re again and burn down the
whole house. We dont want that to happen. So if we
throw water into the replace, we put out all those
embers. Thats what chemotherapy does.
She told me I would need eight rounds of chemo,
administered every two weeks. I was determined to
continue working as much as possible. I boldly told
her, I want to have the chemo on Friday, after the
show, and be back sitting next to Diane on Monday.
Dr. Oratz, one of the kindest doctors I have ever
known, gently told me that might not be the best
idea. My body would need more time to rest.
Dr. Oratzs wisdom was proved when I started the
treatments. Chemotherapy is a roller-coaster ride.
Theres really no way to prepare for it. Everyones
body is different, so there is no typical experience.
My veins are small, so a port was implanted in my
X 179 x
From the Heart
chest. The chemo was administered through the
port. I had eight treatmentsfour Adriamycin (AC)
and four Taxol. I called AC the red devil. Its red and
administered in a syringe. I just wanted to grab the
syringe and smash it with my bare hands.
I had been advised to visit different chemother-
apy rooms before I made my decision on which fa-
cility to choose. One of the reasons I chose Dr.
Oratz is because she only treats patients with breast
cancer. Her ofce is not in a hospital. Its an inti-
mate, warm setting. The chemo rooms are small and
hold a maximum of two patients at a time. I visited
some places (with equally fabulous reputations)
that were huge, cold, sterile environments to me. I
went with cozy.
My mother was with me for my rst two chemo
treatments. If she was nervous, she wasnt letting on.
Mom settled into the chair next to me and pulled out
some material she had received from the Susan G.
Komen foundation. She began asking Dr. Oratz ques-
tions: What type of chemo would I be receiving to-
day? What were the side effects? What medication
would I receive for nausea? During her barrage of
questions, I had to leave the room for a moment.
X 180 x
Make Your Mess Your Message
When I was barely outside, I heard my mom quietly
ask Dr. Oratz, As the mother, is there anything you
want to tell me that Robin shouldnt know? No mat-
ter how old we are, in our moms eyes we will always
be their children.
I was never in any discomfort when I received
chemo. Didnt feel a thing. The hardest part was sit-
ting still for the several hours it took. Family and
friends traveled from all across the country to sit
with me and help pass the time. My favorite gift
came from a close group of friends. It was a shufe
iPod. Theyd downloaded photos of us that had been
taken over the yearswonderful images of my
friends and me laughing, having fun at parties, on va-
cations, or just hanging out. They also downloaded
inspirational songs. So as I was taking chemo, I
watched the beautiful video slide show and listened
to songs that lifted my spirit. There was lots of Mo-
town (my favorite), like Aint No Mountain High
Enough. The rst song on the play list was Jesus
Take the Wheel. I have to admit I cried my eyes out
the rst time I heard it. Listening to that iPod, seeing
the pictures scroll across the small screen, made it
seem like my dear friends were right there in the
X 181 x
From the Heart
chemo room with me every timeholding my hand,
drying my tears.
I was told to expect to start losing my hair after
the second treatment. Weeks earlier I had gone to
wig-makers with my stylist, Petula. We settled on
Bitz-n-Pieces in New York. It is an exceptional
shop. For decades they have tenderly helped people
cope with hair loss. I also had a wig made by Raf-
faele Mollica. He too has lovingly guided people
through the most dramatic times in their lives. The
wigs were styled to look just like my hair. I was
ready. Or so I thought. Its one thing to accept that
youre going to lose your hair. Its another thing to
experience it.
Right on schedule, a few days after my second
chemo, my hair started falling out in large pieces. It
was a Sunday. My mom was in the kitchen making
dinner. I went into my bathroom and stared in the
mirror, and then collapsed on the oor crying uncon-
trollably. It was such a gut-wrenching moment. Fi-
nally, I pulled myself together and went into the
kitchen. My mom was by the stove preparing her leg-
endary collard greens. I began to cry again on Moms
shoulder. She sweetly comforted me with one arm as
X 182 x
Make Your Mess Your Message
she stirred the greens with the other. She didnt want
me too close to the pot!
The next day I met Petula at her salon. I took off
my baseball cap and she wondered what all the fuss
was about. I still had lots of hair. I sat in her chair and
she touched a section of my hair. It fell out right in
her hand. In the mirror I could see Petulas eyes grow
wide with horror. But without missing a beat, in her
soothing Island accent, Petula said, as she always
does: No problem, Robin, no problem.
My mom was returning to Mississippi the next
day, and I didnt want to shave my head until she had
gone. I thought that the sight of her baby girl com-
pletely bald would be too much for her. After she
left, Petula and I went to Raffaeles shop. The plan
was that Petula would shave my head there so Raf-
faele could complete the tting for my wig.
I wasnt sure if this was something I wanted to
share with GMA viewers. But just in case, I asked
photographer Michael Rose to videotape me. We have
become friends over the years and I knew Michael
and his sound man, Claudio, would handle the situa-
tion sensitively. Janice Johnston, one of my many tal-
ented colleagues, was there as a producer and friend.
X 183 x
From the Heart
As Petula began clipping my hair, I was lled with
so many emotions. I just kept saying over and over,
So much change, so much change. And thats how I
felt. So much was changing in my life. So much had
changed since my diagnosis only a couple of months
earlier. Finally, Petula pulled out the electric clippers.
Ill never forget that buzzing sound. But as I brushed
the falling hair out of my eyes and stared into the
mirror, I didnt see tears. I saw strength. Cancer had
already taken so much from me, but now I was in
control. I was the one who decided this was the day I
would lose all my hair. Not cancer, not chemo, ME!
There are some chemotherapy treatments that do
not cause you to lose your hair. I was virtually assured
that I would because of AC. I strongly urge anyone
who is told this to be preemptive and shave your
head. Save yourself the heartache of waiting for your
hair to fall out and then slowly watching it do so.
About a month later, I decided to show the video
on GMA. People magazine had done a feature article
on my battle against cancer, and I had allowed them
to photograph me without my wig. I didnt want peo-
ple to be shocked when they saw it, or to think I had
been hiding my baldness. I wore the wig on GMA be-
X 184 x
Make Your Mess Your Message
cause I didnt want my baldness to distract from the
stories I was covering. But now I felt that my baldness
and all it represented could become the story
another way of reaching out to others who faced can-
cer. I was determined to make my mess my message.
I was absolutely stunned by the reaction to my
video diary. The outpouring of support was once
again overwhelming. The countless people who had
traveled this path before me knew how personal this
was. Many people going through chemo dont want
anyone to know theyve lost their hair. They have
every right to keep it to themselves. Theres no right
or wrong way. But I wanted to make a statement that
I wasnt ashamed to have cancer or to be bald.
Not long after my video diary aired, I ran into a
woman at Bitz-n-Pieces. Both of us were bringing in
our wigs for a tune-up. She said I had given her the
strength to talk to her friends and colleagues about
her illness. I was thrilled for her because I knew she
was now opening herself up to a source of great
comfort. She said she had hidden her illness from
them for fear they would treat her differently. But
her friends had seen that I was still able to work, and
that gave her the courage to speak openly.
X 185 x
From the Heart
Midway through my treatments, I traveled with
First Lady Laura Bush to the Middle East. Mrs. Bush
has a family history of breast cancer. She personally
invited me to accompany her on a portion of a breast
cancer awareness initiative with the Komen Founda-
tion. I couldnt pass up this opportunity. My doctors
cleared me to travelalthough getting my moms
blessing was far more difcult. I spent time with Mrs.
Bush in Abu Dhabi and Dubai in the UAE, and
Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. I met some incredible women
on the trip. Breast cancer is the number-one killer of
women in the UAE. Many succumb because the
stigma surrounding the disease in that part of the
world prevents them from seeking early detection.
The day after I returned from the Middle East, I
was back in the chemo chair. The trip was a worth-
while experience but it took a toll on my body. This
chemo series was very hard on me. I normally missed
only a couple of days of work following treatment.
This time I was out for a week. I was achy all over
and felt horrible.
I kept a journal to write down the details of how I
was feeling after treatments. It helped me to notice
patterns. The rst couple of days after chemo I was
X 186 x
Make Your Mess Your Message
okay. The third day was typically my worst day. I was
queasy, but never got sick to my stomach. I did get
mouth sores. Biotene toothpaste and mouthwash
helped a lot. Sucking on hard candy, especially crys-
tallized ginger, was also helpful. Plus, I drank a great
deal of water. I didnt want to become dehydrated.
Chemo also brought on early menopause. So I had
the added bonus of dealing with hot ashes. What a
joy that was. I was frequently bloated and my skin
was sensitive to the touch. I had sounds and smells
coming out of me that made me think of my dearly
departed dad. My ngertips and toes were numb. My
sense of smell was off the charts. I could tell you
what my neighbor down the hall was having for din-
ner. My taste buds were nonexistent. I constantly had
a metallic taste in my mouth, so I used plastic uten-
sils to eat. Not that I had much of an appetite.
My skin was as dry as the Sahara Desert. Before
applying my makeup, Elena put Vaseline on my face
so the makeup had something to stick to. She pen-
ciled in my missing eyebrows and glued on eyelashes
where mine used to be. It was like putting Humpty
Dumpty back together again every morning.
I was thrilled when the day of my last chemo
X 187 x
From the Heart
treatment nally arrived. After GMA, my colleagues
surprised me by lining up on either side of the hall-
way from the studio to my dressing room. They had
made signs of encouragement and congratulations.
They were cheering their heads off. Have I men-
tioned how much I love my GMA family?
Seeing them cheering like that reminded me of the
times they gave me videotapes they made of them-
selves telling jokes. Or should I say tr ying to tell jokes.
All in an effort to lift my spirits during chemo. Which
they did every time. Especially when I heard Sam
Champions booming laugh. I also remembered the
morning Chris Cuomo asked me what I needed most
at that moment. I told him a new pair of legs; mine
are killing me from the chemo. Wouldnt you know
that when I walked into my dressing room after the
show that day, a new pair of legs was waiting for me.
Chris found some shapely mannequin legs!
Dr. Oratzs team has a wonderful tradition. At the
end of the last chemo session, the nurses dance
around you, blowing bubbles. The amazing Beth, who
had worked with me the most, was leading the way,
saying: Each bubble represents a good wish for you. I
watched the bubbles cascading over me like blessings.
X 188 x
Make Your Mess Your Message
Shortly after I completed chemo, Diane, Chris,
Sam, and I decided to challenge each other. To dare
each other to venture outside of our comfort zones.
My challenge was to be a model during New York
Citys Fashion Week. As you can imagine, I was feel-
ing less than fashionable at the time. Chemo left me
bald and bloated and looking like anything but a
model. Fashion icon Tyra Banks was kind enough to
teach me how to walk like a model. Isaac Mizrahi
dressed me in one of his fabulous gowns and gra-
ciously invited me to walk in his show. . . live on
GMA! That morning as I was preparing backstage
with the other young, gorgeous models (including a
former winner of Americas Next Top Model), I had
on my trusty wig. But before I took the catwalk, I de-
cided to take it off. I said to myself: This is who you
are, Robin. Embrace it. I held my bald head high and
strutted my stuff. Later people told me they cheered
me on and cried when they saw me do that. Many
told me they thought of a loved one who had lost
their battle with cancer. One e-mail I received touched
me in particular. A mother told me she was watching
that morning with her young child. He wanted to
know why I didnt have any hair. She told him that
X 189 x
From the Heart
because I was sick, I had to take medicine and it
made my hair fall out. Her young son told her, I still
think shes pretty. The mom thanked me for helping
her teach her son a valuable lesson about life. Make
your mess your message!
As elated as I was to nish chemo, I still had a long
way to go. About a month later, I began my radiation
treatments. I was exhausted by now. My knees and
back were killing me. For the rst time, my white
blood cell count dropped. I began looking for non-
traditional therapies to support me.
Sheryl Crow, who is a breast cancer survivor, told
me about her nutritionist, Rachel Beller. This woman
is a dynamo. She is passionate about helping and ed-
ucating people about proper nutrition. Rachel told
me I needed more protein in my diet during radia-
tion. She was also very big on ber. I was serious
about taking her advice.
In addition, I went to an acupuncturist for the rst
time. I was, of course, apprehensive about the needles.
But I soon learned I didnt need to be. Dr. Wangs ex-
pertise brought much-needed relief to my sore body.
I liked the idea of combining Eastern and Western
medicines.
X 190 x
Make Your Mess Your Message
My white blood cell count improved and I contin-
ued on with radiation. Every day after GMA, I headed
across town for my treatment. The technicians, Tina,
Suzy, and Jacqui, were always upbeat, and they had
music playing for patients to listen to during radiation.
Seeing them every day for almost two months helped
me get through it. We formed a sweet bond. They
would input my information into a computer. Care-
fully position me on the table. Line up the small tat-
toos that had been placed on my chest with rays of
light. The whole process took only ve minutes.
My radiation oncologist, Dr. Roberto Lipsztein, ex-
amined me once a week. Hes Brazilian and has a zest
for life. He would check to see how my body was han-
dling the radiation. Because of my skin color, I didnt
suffer any burning until late in my treatment. It was
like having a sunburn. A really bad sunburn. But the
side effect that bothered me the most was fatigue. I
just couldnt shake it. I had been able to lightly exer-
cise a couple of days a week during chemo, but I just
didnt have the strength to work out during radiation.
I started to feel depressed. My body was like a
stranger to me. My mind at times felt like mush. It
was hard to concentrate or focus. I could only man-
X 191 x
From the Heart
age to sleep a few hours at a time. I was sick and tired
of feeling sick and tired.
I had to get quiet and remind myself that I had
gotten through hard times before. Remind myself of
my own rules to live by. I summoned them up, using
them to buttress my agging spirits.
Even though my knees were shaking, I had taken
the shot. I had been scared to tell Dr. Knapp about
my lump, but I had. And now I was receiving the care
that would save my life.
My big dream is to be cancer free, but I am focus-
ing on the small things that will get me there. If for
some reason the treatment I have received does not
succeed, I will dive back in and nd something that
will. I will never stop ghting.
I will not play the cancer card. I will not use can-
cer as an excuse for not achieving the goals I have set
for myself. Cancer forced me out of my comfort zone.
But as I stated previously, There is no comfort zone.
Life comes at us in ways we cant predict or control.
I know that now more than ever. I am focusing on the
solution, not the problem. I dont dwell on the fact
that I have cancer. I spend my energy and resources
on conquering this disease.
X 192 x
Make Your Mess Your Message
My faith, family, and friends have never been
closer to my heart. Do you realize how humbling it is
to know you are constantly being lifted up in prayer?
Countless people, of all religions, have told me they
are praying for me. Thank you all and I love you back.
There are not enough pages to convey my grati-
tude to my family and friends. Tears are streaming
down my face as I write this, thinking about their un-
conditional love. Words seem so inadequate.
I was asked to write an entire book about my ex-
perience with cancer. I respectfully declined. Cancer
is no more than a chapter in my life. And it will not
be the last chapter.
X 193 x
One Final Thought . . .
Now that Ive given you my rules, I want you to go
out and break them. Then write your own. Because
when it comes right down to it, there is no playbook
for your own unique, wonderful life. Ultimately,
youve got to live it for yourself. And whatever your
dream, youve got to want it for yourself. Come to
think of it, that old high school sports cheer rings as
true in life as it does in basketball.
You gotta want it
To win it
So come on strong!
X 195 x
From the Heart
If you want it bad enough, and it comes from the
heart, you can do anythingeven when youre tired
or discouraged or scared.
The main reason I wrote this book was that after
Hurricane Katrina I was just feeling so helpless and
hopeless. And then I experienced the outpouring
of passion and compassion. The steady stream of
volunteers. The people who put their lives on hold
to help complete strangers. They lifted me up, and
I was reminded again of how very blessed I am.
What a feeling. I wanted everyone to have that in-
credible feeling of knowing theyre living the life
they want.
Its hard sometimes, because life doesnt always
feel so good. There are sad times and tragedies and
moments of doubt when its hard to pick yourself
up. What then?
I was mulling over that very thing one day not long
ago, when I came upon the answer in the most un-
likely placethe makeup room at GMA.
As Ive said, makeup is denitely not my favorite
thing. I hate having to sit still for my hour in the
chair, especially at ve in the morning. But my Team
X 196 x
One Final Thought . . .
Beauty can make it all worthwhile. Eleana and
Petula have been with me since I became an anchor
at GMA. In addition to their skills (which I put to
the test every morning), they happen to be incredi-
bly spiritual women. Every day they greet me with
an afrmation for the day, and it perks me right up.
I nd that I really do carry it around in my head. So
on that particular day they hit me with this one:
You have to change the way you think
in order to change the way you feel.
As I sat in my makeup chair, I started to chant it
You have to change the way you think in order to change
the way you feel. You have to change the way you think
in order to change the way you feel. And I thought,
Thats it. Its all so simple. And so powerful.
No matter what your circumstances, how high
your barriers, or how daunting your challenges, you
can change the way you think. And once that hap-
pens, you can do anything.
My wish for everyone out therewhether youre
just starting out, are at mid-course, or are near the
X 197 x
From the Heart
end of your journeyis that you feel happy in what
youre doing and blessed by life.
So heres my nal word of advice. Its really an af-
rmation: Live your life. Let it happen. Enjoy the
ride. And whatever you do, do it from the heart.
Remember, rules are made to be broken, except
when it comes to your health!
X 198 x
Acknowledgments
This is the easiest yet hardest part of the book for
me. Its easy to thank those who helped me express
myself on these pages but difcult to name them all.
If I did, I would need a second volume.
Let me begin with Catherine Whitney, who gently
pushed me to reveal what is most important to me.
Your literary expertise gave me condence that I had
a story worth sharing with others. This book would
have stayed in my mind and heart without your won-
derful guidance. Thank you for helping me put it
down on paper. I appreciate you never letting me lose
sight of the big picture.
X 199 x
Acknowledgments
To all my friends at Hyperionand you have be-
come my dear friends. First, to Robert Miller. Bob,
you live your life with heart, and that is what drew
me to Hyperion. I have been asked over the years to
write a book like this and always politely declined.
But when I sat down with you for the rst time, all
that changed. We share the same excitement for life
and the belief that we all have gifts that can make a
true difference.
To my editor, Gretchen Young: I adore you. I got
such a big kick out of our conversations. It seems the
last thing we would talk about was my book. We
would chat about our families, friendsabout life. I
always walk away from you feeling energized and full
of ideas and possibilities. Thank you and everyone at
Hyperion for that.
I never understood why people would thank their
agents when they received a big award. Now I do. I
owe so much to my friends at N.S. Bienstock, espe-
cially Peter Goldberg and Richard Leibner. Peter, Ill
never forget that you traveled all the way to Miss-
issippi for my fathers funeral. Youve always been
there for me.
Richard, you are a genius. I couldnt believe you
X 200 x
Acknowledgments
contacted me the morning I lled in as the host of
Good Morning America Sunday way back when. You
were the rst to tell me I could make the transition
from sports to network news. You said when I was
ready, to give you a call. Turned out to be one of the
best calls I ever made. You and Peter have helped me
navigate the sometimes treacherous waters of broad-
casting. I cant wait for our next lunch.
To my colleagues at WDAM in Hattiesburg,
Mississippi; WLOX in Biloxi, Mississippi; WSMV
in Nashville, Tennessee; and WAGA in Atlanta,
Georgiathank you! It was a privilege to work
alongside each and every one of you. Thank you for
teaching me and being patient with me. I learned so
much from youlessons I draw upon every day of
my professional life.
There is denitely not enough room to heap praise
on my ESPN family. I had always dreamed of work-
ing at ESPN one day. Reality surpassed my dreams.
From the president, George Bodenheimer, to the for-
mer president Steve Bornstein; from executives John
Walsh, Howard Katz, and Steve Anderson to produc-
ers, directors, technicians, researchers, and produc-
tion assistantsyou are simply the best.
X 201 x
Acknowledgments
My fellow SportsCenter anchors and reporters
you rock! It was one heck of a ride.
Its such an honor to be a member of the ABC
News family. I am in awe of your professionalism,
commitment, and humanity. Good Morning America
is a 24-hour, 365-day-a-year job. The GMA staff is
relentless, creative, and the hardest-working folks in
this sometimes crazy business. Your compassion and
humor lift me to incredible heights. What people see
every morning on our program is a direct reection
of your tireless dedication. From the bottom of my
heart I thank each and every one of you. I love you.
To viewers who have watched me over the years.
You have encouraged me more than you could possi-
bly know. Back in the early 80s when I started this
amazing journey, you were patient with me. You
challenged me to be the best I could be. Many of you
have told me that youve laughed with me and youve
cried with me. I can only pray that I have inspired
you half as much as youve inspired me. I dont take
lightly the fact that you have graciously invited me
into your homes via television all these years. I hope
Ive been a good houseguest.
To the people of my home state of Mississippi.
X 202 x
Acknowledgments
Thank you for welcoming the Roberts Family to the
Mississippi Coast in 1969. I want you to know how
proud I am of you. That pride was magnied after
Hurricane Katrina. Your strength and courage in the
face of such adversity is beyond admirable. I saw how
we came back stronger than ever after Hurricane
Camille. Together well do it again, and I carry you in
my heart always.
To my Dream Teammy talented doctors. Al-
bert Knapp, Lauren Cassell, Ruth Oratz, and Roberto
Lipsztein. You are simply the best. But it goes beyond
your incredible skills as physicians. Your genuine
concern, compassion, and devotion to all your pa-
tients is exemplary. Ill be forever grateful to you,
your wonderful nurses, and loving support staffs. You
are all angels!
To my second family, my inner circle, my dear
friends. You know my faults and weaknesses and still
love me unconditionally. Youve shared my highs and
helped me get through the lows of life. I know its not
easy being my friend. All the times I have to cancel
plans and trips at the last minute because of breaking
news. All the early-bird specials I force you to eat be-
cause Ive got to get to bed early. Its wild when you
X 203 x
Acknowledgments
think that of the billions of people on earth we
found one another. Nothing happens by chance. I
have no idea where life is going to take us nextbut
I am comforted knowing we will be by one anothers
side every step of the way. My dear friends, you make
me a better personand I love you back.
To my siblingswhat a blessing you are. I would
feel that way about you even if we were not related.
Id like to think Im the perfect blend of all three of
you. My dear brother, Lawrence Edward Roberts II. I
know it wasnt easy being the only boy in the family
and carrying on as Dads namesake. Those are mighty
big shoes to ll. You blazed your own path with in-
tegrity and grace. Butch, youre a good man. Sweet
Sally-Ann. Youre so sweet, I joke that I get a cavity
every time I talk to you. I think what I admire most
about you is your genuineness. Youre the re al deal.
Your uplifting spirit is something to behold. Dorothy,
you are by far the most talented one of the bunch
and the one most like Mom. I know with two sisters
in TV you sometimes feel overlooked. But I love your
feistiness in making your presence felt, not to men-
tion your humor. I greatly admire how all three of
you have raised remarkable childrenBianca, Rene,
X 204 x
Acknowledgments
Lawrence, Judith, Kelly, Jeremiah, Jessica, and Lau-
ren. The circle contines.
Hopefully you saw my dedication to my parents.
Its hard to put into words the impact they have had
on my life. I tried my best to do that with this book.
Daddy, I miss you. Mom, thank you for the shining
example you set each and every day. I want to be just
like you when I grow up.
X 205 x
About the Author
Robin Roberts is a co-anchor of Good Morning Amer-
ica and one of the most recognized and respected in-
dividuals in the media. A native of Pass Christian,
Mississippi, she was a college basketball standout
and, for more than fteen years, an anchor of ESPNs
award-winning SportsCenter. Robin lives in New York
City.
Credits
Design by James Sinclair
Copyright
FROM THE HEART. Copyright 2007, 2008 Robin Rene Roberts. All
rights reserved under International and Pan-American Copyright
Conventions. By payment of the required fees, you have been granted
the non-exclusive, nontransferable right to access and read the text of
this e-book on-screen. No part of this text may be reproduced,
transmitted, down-loaded, decompiled, reverse engineered, or stored
in or introduced into any information storage and retrieval system, in
any form or by any means, whether electronic or mechanical, now
known or hereinafter invented, without the express written permission
of Hyperion e-books.
Adobe Acrobat eBook Reader October 2008
ISBN 978-1-4013-8846-1
10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1