‘GMA’s Ginger Zee Receives Emotional Reunion with Parents On-Air
NEW YORK, NY – Ginger Zee was visibly moved during a live broadcast of Good morning America today as her parents made a surprise appearance, connecting to the show while in Rotterdam, netherlands – a city deeply intertwined with their family’s history. The emotional moment unfolded as Zee discussed her family’s immigration story and a recently shared throwback photo from the 1950s.
Zee’s parents, who emigrated from Holland after surviving the Nazi occupation during WWII, joined the broadcast to share their experiences and reflect on returning to Rotterdam decades later. The appearance followed Zee’s recent posts on social media detailing her grandparents’ resilience and her father’s first return trip to the city since immigrating to the United States as a child. ”She and my grandfather had emigrated from Holland in the 1950s,after enduring the brutal Nazi occupation during WWII,” Zee wrote in one post. “What she suffered was horrendous, much of which she never talked about, yet she and my grandfather had come through the experience somehow stronger.”
The on-air reunion highlighted the enduring impact of immigration and the strength of family bonds. Zee previously shared a black-and-white photo on Instagram of her father and grandfather leaving the Netherlands in the late 1950s, prompting an outpouring of similar stories from viewers. ”My aunt sent our family this photo of my dad and my Opa (grandpa) leaving the Netherlands to immigrate to the United States In the late 1950s,” she captioned the image. “She sent it as my father was returning to Rotterdam for the first time as he came over via ship at age seven or so.”
The family’s story resonates with many Americans, especially as discussions around immigration and heritage continue to be prominent. Zee’s openness about her family’s past has sparked conversations and a sense of connection among her audience,as evidenced by the numerous comments on her social media posts.One commenter shared, “My family came from the Netherlands to the US in 1960 by ship. I was born in Rotterdam.” Another wrote,”My Opa came over from the Netherlands and then my Oma came over a bit later with 5 kids under 9.”
Good Morning America airs weekdays at 7 a.m. ET on ABC.
