Robin Roberts: Beating Her Way to the Top

A look at the GMA co-anchor's life and inspiring moments.

A Story of Inspiration - Robin Roberts has been an inspiration both on screen and behind the scenes. Not only has the Good Morning America co-anchor helped take the ABC show to the top of TV ratings, but she's also shown us what strength looks like while fighting the hardest battles. (Photo: Jason Merritt/Getty Images)

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A Story of Inspiration - Robin Roberts has been an inspiration both on screen and behind the scenes. Not only has the Good Morning America co-anchor helped take the ABC show to the top of TV ratings, but she's also shown us what strength looks like while fighting the hardest battles. (Photo: Jason Merritt/Getty Images)

Strong Start - Roberts was born in Pass Christian, Mississippi (a daughter of a Tuskegee Airmen pilot) and, inspired by her sister, a local news anchor, she decided to pursue a communications degree from Southeastern Louisiana University with a journalism scholarship. (Photo: Southern Louisiana University)

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Strong Start - Roberts was born in Pass Christian, Mississippi (a daughter of a Tuskegee Airmen pilot) and, inspired by her sister, a local news anchor, she decided to pursue a communications degree from Southeastern Louisiana University with a journalism scholarship. (Photo: Southern Louisiana University)

Lights, Camera, Action - In 1983, She became a sports reporter and anchor for local TV station WDAM-TV in Hattiesburg, Mississippi, and then went on to work at stations across the South in Biloxi, Mississippi, Nashville, Tennessee and Atlanta. She was also a radio host for Atlanta's V-103. (Photo: ESPN)

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Lights, Camera, Action - In 1983, She became a sports reporter and anchor for local TV station WDAM-TV in Hattiesburg, Mississippi, and then went on to work at stations across the South in Biloxi, Mississippi, Nashville, Tennessee and Atlanta. She was also a radio host for Atlanta's V-103. (Photo: ESPN)

Robin Roberts - Way before Robin Roberts was ever a co-anchor on Good Morning America, she was a sportscaster for ESPN for a whopping 15 years. In 2012, she was inducted into the Women's Basketball Hall of Fame for her contributions to the sport through her broadcasting. Having watched her struggle and endure bouts with breast cancer and myelodysplatic syndrome (MDS), a disease of the bone marrow, only makes us appreciate her more. Great sports journalist...even greater person.  (Photo: ESPN)

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ESPN Zone - Her big break came when she was hired to host ESPN's Sportscenter in 1990, where she coined the catchphrase "Go on with your bad self!" (Photo: ESPN)

Climbing the Ranks - During her time at ESPN, Roberts also reported for Good Morning America, which aired on ESPN's sister network ABC. Eventually, she began climbing the ranks at the popular morning show until she was hired as co-anchor in 2005. She and co-anchor George Stephanopoulos helped bring Good Morning America to the top of morning show ratings. (Photo: Paul Hawthorne/Getty Images)

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Climbing the Ranks - During her time at ESPN, Roberts also reported for Good Morning America, which aired on ESPN's sister network ABC. Eventually, she began climbing the ranks at the popular morning show until she was hired as co-anchor in 2005. She and co-anchor George Stephanopoulos helped bring Good Morning America to the top of morning show ratings. (Photo: Paul Hawthorne/Getty Images)

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Time to Fight - In 2011, Roberts announced she was taking a leave of absence to undergo treatment for myelodysplastic syndrome, a rare blood disorder that she contracted from her chemotherapy treatment for breast cancer in 2007. Her sister became her bone marrow donor. (Photo: Kevork Djansezian/Getty Images)

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Time to Fight - In 2011, Roberts announced she was taking a leave of absence to undergo treatment for myelodysplastic syndrome, a rare blood disorder that she contracted from her chemotherapy treatment for breast cancer in 2007. Her sister became her bone marrow donor. (Photo: Kevork Djansezian/Getty Images)

Robin Roberts - By deciding to share her struggle with myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS) with the world, the Good Morning America host inspired nearly 50,000 people to register their bone marrow to a national registry. Countless lives have been saved thanks to the awareness Roberts brought. (Photo: AP Photo/ABC, Heidi Gutman)

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Coming Back Strong - Roberts returned to Good Morning America on February 20, 2013, but only appeared sporadically while she recovered from treatment. (Photo: AP Photo/ABC, Heidi Gutman)

Honored for Courage - She was honored at the 2013 ESPY Awards with the Arthur Ashe Courage Award, which was presented to her by LeBron James, for her bravery, strength and honesty with her viewers as she raised awareness about the disease. (Photo: Alberto E. Rodriguez/Getty Images for ESPY)

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Honored for Courage - She was honored at the 2013 ESPY Awards with the Arthur Ashe Courage Award, which was presented to her by LeBron James, for her bravery, strength and honesty with her viewers as she raised awareness about the disease. (Photo: Alberto E. Rodriguez/Getty Images for ESPY)

Robin Roberts - Robin Roberts received a standing ovation as she accepted the Arthur Ashe Courage Award. Roberts was acknowledged for paving a successful career beyond sports and the strength she displayed during her fight against cancer and MDS, a rare blood disorder. “Know that when fear knocks, let faith answer the door,” said Roberts. (Photo: Frederick M. Brown/Getty Images for ESPY)

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Let Faith Answer - "There are many worthy of holding this honor, others who have exhibited far more courage, strength and resilience, and it's humbling for me to represent you tonight," she said during her acceptance speech. "I draw strength from you. You give me the courage to face down any challenge, to know when fear knocks, to let faith answer the door."(Photo: Frederick M. Brown/Getty Images for ESPY)

Stepping Out - On December 29, 2013, Roberts posted a Facebook status thanking her girlfriend, Amber Laign, and officially came out as a gay woman on Good Morning America in January 2014 by sharing a photo of Laign. (Photo: Courtesy ABC News)

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Stepping Out - On December 29, 2013, Roberts posted a Facebook status thanking her girlfriend, Amber Laign, and officially came out as a gay woman on Good Morning America in January 2014 by sharing a photo of Laign. (Photo: Courtesy ABC News)