Robin Roberts' mother, Lucimarian Roberts, has died at 88.
The "Good Morning America" host, who is battling the bone marrow disorder MDS, was due to start a medical leave to treat the disease on Friday. But she left a day earlier to rush to be with her mother, who lives in Mississippi.
A note to ABC staff said that "Robin arrived home with her sister Sally Ann forging through flooded and blocked roads to be with her beloved Mother in time to see her."
There was no immediate word of the cause of Lucimarian's death. But Roberts has had a huge amount of hardship placed on her at the moment. Just as she begins a long and painful process of treatment, she will be dealing with the grief and sadness brought on by her loss.
There was an outpouring of condolences for Roberts on Twitter. "GMA" executive producer Tom Cibrowski led the way:
Local Mississippi station WLOX remembered Lucimarian Roberts in an article on Friday morning:
ABC's Diane Sawyer called Lucimarian a beam of light. She sparkled when talking about family and faith. But, her star was just as bright when she ventured out to help the community. Lucimarian was the first African American to head the state's Board of Education. She also served on the Mississippi Coast Coliseum Commission.
Lucimarian and Robin also wrote a book together which came out earlier this year.
More of the reaction on Twitter to Lucimarian Roberts' death: