LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA: ‘Good Morning America’ host Robin Roberts is without a doubt one of the most successful and well-known television personalities. Brimming with charm and a million-dollar smile, Robin has enjoyed the status of being a respected journalist and reporter for a long time. However, unbeknownst to most, the foundation of the journalist's successful career was laid back in her childhood by her parents, especially her father, Lawrence Roberts, who was a Word War II veteran.

Robin was ESPN's first on-air black anchorwoman as well as the first woman ever to host a network-televised National Football League pre-game show. Her tenacity to break gender and race barriers was reportedly instilled by her father. Throughout her professional journey, Robin has never forgotten her father's teachings, hailing him as a role model who inspired her to take any challenge as he took the plunge and fulfilled his dream to fly.

Who was Lawrence Roberts?

Lawrence Roberts was a highly decorated US military pilot during World War II and served in the Air Force for 32 years. He was a part of the Tuskegee Airmen, a group of African-American military pilots renowned for their heroic combat service in support of the Allied Forces. Growing up in Vauxhall, New Jersey, Lawrence dreamed of being a pilot as a child. He would reportedly take a sawed-off broom handle to use as his "throttle" while pretending to fly. At the time, such a dream for a Black man was hard to achieve.

However, through his undying determination, Lawrence moved up the ranks to fulfill his dream of flying. At a time when very few Black men were pilots, the veteran achieved the unthinkable and was enlisted as a pilot in the US airforce. After World War II, he continued his military career and rose to the rank of Colonel. After he retired from the Air Force in 1975, Lawrence worked for Global Associates at the National Space Technology Laboratories. He passed away on October 12, 2004, and is survived by his children, Robin Roberts, Sally-Ann Roberts, Dorothy Roberts McEwen, and Lawrence E Roberts Jr.

How did Lawrence Roberts inspire Robin Roberts?

The 'GMA' host Robin never shied from citing her father as the inspiration behind her success. In an interview, Robin said, "I had a father and a mother who were the first to do this and the first to do that and always getting this award or that award, so I figured, well, shoot, I guess I should be a physicist on the weekend," as per Sports Illustrated. She also previously revealed that her father helped her study during her early days as a student and encouraged her to shape a path for herself. In 2022, Robin attended an event at the Newark Liberty International Airport, where a roadway was named in honor of Tuskegee Airman Colonel Lawrence Roberts. Acknowledging the recognition, Robin said. "This is an honor we were not expecting at all and you're not only honoring our father but all the Tuskegee Airmen."