A beautiful love story. Good Morning America’s Robin Roberts met longtime girlfriend Amber Laign in July 2005, but the pair didn’t publicly acknowledge their relationship for nearly a decade.
While reflecting on her recovery from a September 2012 bone marrow transplant as treatment for her myelodysplastic syndrome, Roberts gave Laign a sweet shout-out.
“At this moment I am at peace and filled with joy and gratitude. I am grateful to God, my doctors and nurses for my restored good health. I am grateful for my sister, Sally-Ann, for being my donor and giving me the gift of life. I am grateful for my entire family, my longtime girlfriend, Amber, and friends as we prepare to celebrate a glorious new year together,” the ABC personality wrote via Facebook in December 2013.
With her relationship out in the open, the Alabama native gushed about her partner during an April 2014 appearance on The Ellen DeGeneres Show, revealing that she and the massage therapist met on a blind date. Roberts also shed light on why the duo had kept their romance private for so long.
“She doesn’t really like the spotlight,” she said of Laign. “Not everybody wants to be in the spotlight. She’s very, very supportive and she’s been right there behind me every step of the way.”
The newscaster explained that when she was writing the caption for her post-op Facebook message, it felt strange to not include her girlfriend.
“I had been thanking my doctors and nurses [and] my sister who was a perfect match, and rightfully so, and [then] I asked her — I said, ‘I really wanna say thank you,’” Roberts shared.
The former college basketball star was able to return the favor and provide support for Laign when she was diagnosed with breast cancer in late 2021. Roberts shared the news with her followers via Twitter in February 2022.
“My sweet Amber wanted me to tell you something that she’s been facing. At the end of last year, Amber was diagnosed with breast cancer,” the ESPN alum — who beat breast cancer herself in 2008 — said at the time. “She and I have been together almost 17 years and have helped each other through our challenges like my journey with cancer. It’s my turn now to be there for her like she was for me.”
After enduring their fair share of trials and tribulations together, the twosome decided to take their relationship to the next level.
“I’m saying yes to marriage. We’re getting married this year,” Roberts told motivational speaker Gabrielle Bernstein on Good Morning America in January 2023. The Women’s Basketball Hall of Famer added that she and her future wife had previously “talked” about tying the knot but “put it off” due to Laign’s breast cancer diagnosis. The California native completed radiation treatments in July 2022.
Scroll through for a look back at Roberts and Laign’s love story:
