“Good Morning America” host and former HGTV star Lara Spencer announced the death of her mother, Carolyn von Seelen, on February 16, but now she is opening up about her grief in a heartfelt Instagram post. Von Seelen was diagnosed with a brain tumor in 2023. She was 85 at the time of her passing.
Lara Spencer Receives Support After Sharing Her Grief
Spencer shared several photos of herself and Sam Champion sitting next to a pool in Miami, Florida. She is holding an orange orangutan toy. In the caption of her Instagram post, she shared her thoughts and thanked her “Good Morning America” family for helping her feel loved and supported. “Finally coming out of the fog of grief and so grateful to my GMA family-making me feel warm and loved-even in 42 degrees temps in Florida,” she wrote.
Spencer continued, “No one I would rather be stranded with than this guy. We huddled around the heat lamp, collaborated on making the show as fun and energetic as possible, and even took a page from Punch the monkey’s book-giving our stuffie a squeeze when needed. The pictures tell the story. Thank you GMA family. I love you.”
Fans showed their support for Spencer, including Champion, who reacted with a sweet message. “The BEST time with you always,” he wrote, adding a red heart emoji at the end.
“The loss of your mom will be a lingering fog for awhile, lost mine in 2023. Given how close you were, the memories and love will continue to support you,” a fan wrote. “Your GMA fans and family always there.”
Other reactions include, “Love you,” “Prayers to you, Lara. Heard so many wonderful things about your mom. She lived in my neighborhood,” and “Been thinking of you.”
Lara Spencer Shares Her Mom’s Passing
Spencer announced the passing of her beloved mother in an Instagram post on February 16, revealing that she had passed three days earlier on February 13. She shared several sweet family photos that highlighted the close bond they shared with Von Seelen. She was a wife, mother, grandmother of 12, and even a great-grandmother of four. In the caption, Spencer penned a heartbreaking message.
“If you were lucky enough to meet my mom you know that smile that lit up every room she walked into. What you might not have seen at first glance was her courage, resilience, endless optimism, deep faith, and boundless love for her family,” she wrote.
She praised her mom for being an optimistic woman who always helped the family get through challenging times. “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 wrote.
