‘GMA’s Lara Spencer Mourns Death of Mother: ‘Love You Always & Forever’
Lara Spencer began the week by sharing some heartbreaking news.
In a Monday, February 16, Instagram post, the Good Morning America host announced that her mother, Carolyn von Seelen, had passed away at the age of 85. “If you were lucky enough to meet my mom you know that smile that lit up every room she walked into,” she wrote. “What you might not have seen at first glance was her courage, resilience, endless optimism, deep faith, and boundless love for her family.”
Spencer described her mother as “a woman who loved a saying — she had one for everything-and used them often to help us get thru life’s challenges or painful moments.” She added, “One of her favorite was ‘don’t be sad it’s over honey — be grateful it happened’. Sorry mama but there’s no way to not feel the pain of overwhelming sadness at the thought of not having you to share life with each day, but we sure are grateful YOU happened and showered us with your loving warmth and humor.”
Spencer noted that her mother, who was a “grandmother to 12 and great-grandmother to 4,” died on Friday, February 13, something von Seelen “would have gotten a kick out of.” She was “surrounded by her children and her beloved rescue dog to reunite with my Dad and our sister Pamela.”
Spencer concluded, “We love you always and forever mom.” Spencer’s post featured several photos of her mom from over the years, including pics of the two of them and snaps of von Seelen with family and Spencer’s GMA colleagues.
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Fans and celebrities flooded the post’s comments with their condolences. “Oh Lara! I remember her well. I’m so sorry to read this news. Sending so much love to you and your family. 💔,” The View‘s Sara Haines wrote. GMA‘s Ginger Zee added, “So sorry Lara and sending you and the entire family so much love and peace ❤️.”
Robin Roberts shared, “Knowing your mother was knowing pure joy. Just thinking of her right now brings a smile to my face. Oh how she loved her family…undoubtedly the loves of her life. May in time all your sweet memories of her be a source of comfort. 🙏🏾❤️.” GMA‘s Rebecca Jarvis posted, “Sending you and your family so much love, Lara. I feel so fortunate to have met her at GMA – a truly special woman with a transcendent spark. May her memory be a blessing❤️.”
Roberts, Michael Strahan, George Stephanopoulos, and Sam Champion also paid tribute to Spencer’s mother on the Tuesday, February 17, episode of GMA. “She was a wonderful mother to her six children, grandmother to 12, great-grandmother to four, and Lara said her mom called them the loves of her life.”
Champion added, “We are a family, and our families are part of our family. Over the years, Carolyn, who is just the bright light that is Lara’s mom, spent quite a bit of time here at GMA, behind the scenes, and even on camera. Now, she watched Lara proudly do what Lara does better than anyone else on the planet. So much of what we all love about Lara, you can see, comes exactly from her mother. She was wise, funny, and boy, does she love a good yard sale.
The show went on to air a 2012 segment featuring Spencer and her mother at the world’s longest yard sale, something Champion said was one of Spencer’s “favorite memories” with von Seelen.
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