Finally, Robin Roberts can officially focus on healing.
The beloved Good Morning America anchor, 51, underwent a long-awaited bone marrow transplant Thursday in New York City and now begins her road to recovery. Injected with millions of stem cells harvested from her sister, Sally-Ann Roberts, the journalist sang her favorite songs — including "Ain't No Mountain High Enough" — and chatted with friends in the time before Thursday's five-minute procedure.
Among those in Roberts' hospital room to support her? Sally-Ann, their sister Dorothy, and Roberts' ABC colleagues Diane Sawyer and Sam Champion. "I don't think I will ever forget the power and love that was in that room," GMA weatherman Champion said on Friday's show, showing a video clip filmed during the procedure. He added that his friend's "spirits were high" on that important day.
Once Dr. Sergio Giralt injected the stem cells, those in Roberts' hospital room erupted into a round of applause. "Sally, you're in me," Roberts said.
"I think the Hebrew translation of 'blessings' is 'more life,'" explained Sawyer, "and we left with more life because of her."
Appearing on GMA Friday, Roberts' oncologist Dr. Gail Roboz revealed that the next 7-10 days are especially critical for the recovering Roberts, who had the transplant to treat MDS, a rare blood disorder.
Her blood will be checked several times a day to monitor her white blood cell count, but Roberts is already thinking about the next phase of her recovery. Roboz described her patient as "energized" post-transplant, and revealed that Roberts sent her an email Friday morning saying that she "wanted to go home — with an exclamation point."
