‘Good Morning America’ Team Pays Tribute to Producer Thea Trachtenberg Who Died on Easter Sunday

Good Morning America announced that they have lost their second employee to the coronavirus. On Monday’s episode, the anchors paid their respects to a longtime producer, Thea Trachtenberg, who lost her battle with COVID-19 on Sunday.

This comes after Tony Greer, who was a camera operator for the past six years, fell victim to the virus. Robin Roberts went on to call him a “bright light” and that it was a “very sad for our GMA family.” Roberts, along with Michael Strahan and George Stephanopoulos, had the difficult task of sharing the news of Trachternberg’s death on air. A video package documenting her career with the morning program was shown.

Stephanopoulous, whose wife tested positive for COVID-19, noted how she was a mentor on the staff and referred to her a “force” in everything she did, from her work behind the scenes to just being a human being. The longtime anchor also explained that Trachternberg worked with him on many of his biggest shoots, specifically pointing out an interview they did with U2 frontman, Bono, as being her favorite. “She was just such an incredibly competent, intelligent and fearless producer,” he shared.

The former New York Giant and Good Morning anchor of four years, Strahan highlighted how Trachtenberg was the envy of all the young producers. He revealed that “all the younger producers… wanted to be like Thea.”

“That was their thing. She took you under her wing,” he said. “Thea will continue to live on through all of those that she has helped and she has guided through their careers. She will be missed here at GMA. There’s nothing but love here for her and her family. Without a doubt.”

Roberts, who has been on the set the longest of the three, broke down at one point as the segment was wrapping up. “Her fellow colleagues, they really, really loved her. That’s what we should remember about Thea. Boy, she had a big heart.” She earlier recalled how Trachtenberg was a strong poet and mentioned how she would send out Christmas poems every year.

Anchoring since 2005, Roberts has seen herself and her peers doing something out of the ordinary. She was the first on the staff to begin working from home, beginning to film from the comforts of her house on March 25.

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