Former Good Morning America anchor Joan Lunden has shared a touching memory from her years on television. In her March 2026 cover interview with Woman’s World, the 75‑year‑old recalled how her young daughters would run downstairs before school, spot her on TV, and kiss the screen. What could have sparked guilt instead became a cherished reminder of the balance she struck between motherhood and career.
Lessons in Balance
Lunden anchored GMA for 17 years until her departure in 1997. She told Woman’s World that her children learned valuable lessons from watching her juggle early call times, global assignments, and family life. “We could be a wife and a mom, but we could also have a career. We could even do multiple careers,” she said.
Her example resonated years later when one of her daughters reflected: “That was really a good thing to imbue in us.”
Breaking Barriers in 1979
Long before conversations about working motherhood were common, Lunden reshaped expectations. When ABC approached her about co‑hosting GMA in 1979, she insisted on bringing her baby because she was breastfeeding. Executives reluctantly agreed, but asked her not to publicize it.
When the arrangement became public, it marked a turning point. ABC ensured her contract allowed her to travel with her baby, and her daughter Jamie joined her to cover the wedding of now‑King Charles III and Princess Diana at just one year old.
A Familiar Presence
Lunden’s warmth and credibility helped define GMA during a transformative era in broadcast journalism. “There was something ingratiating about waking up in the morning and having a person that’s telling you the world is still spinning on its axis and giving you the news of the day, who is also a woman with children who has to deal with diapers and breastfeeding,” she told Woman’s World.
Family and Legacy
Lunden shares three daughters with her first husband, Michael Krauss, and later welcomed two sets of twins via surrogacy with her second husband, Jeff Konigsberg. She continues to inspire audiences with her reflections on family and career. On March 3, she will release her 11th book, JOAN: Life Beyond the Script, offering readers a deeper look into her journey beyond the anchor desk.
