Robin Roberts’ Hurricane Katrina Special Premieres 20 Years After Storm

August 29, 2025 - ABC broadcast a poignant, two-hour special titled “Hurricane Katrina: 20 Years After the Storm with Robin Roberts” tonight at 8 p.m. ET, marking exactly two decades since the Category 3 hurricane devastated communities along the Gulf Coast.

ABC’s Good Morning America co-anchor Robin Roberts-who covered Katrina in her native Mississippi as a rising journalist-returns to the region for an intimate, on-the-ground look at both the enduring scars and remarkable resilience of residents from New Orleans to Pass Christian.

In tonight’s program, Roberts revisits her own reporting from August 29, 2005, including the emotional moment she learned whether her mother and other family members had survived. The special explores how coastal communities have rebuilt: elevated homes on 20-foot stilts, restored schools, and revitalized local businesses. Roberts speaks with tide-turning figures such as former Pass Christian mayor Chipper McDermott and cultural icons like Harry Connick Jr., Trombone Shorty, and Branford Marsalis about music’s power to heal.

A deeply human perspective emerges through conversations with survivors who were children during the storm-now adults-reflecting on its lifelong emotional toll. The program also examines economic disparities in recovery, noting that some affordable housing was replaced by commercial developments and casinos.

Fans responded enthusiastically on social media after Roberts-via Rock’n Robin Productions and ABC News Studios-announced the special earlier this month, praising her commitment to spotlight under-covered Gulf Coast stories and celebrate community resilience.

The special will be available for streaming on Disney+ and Hulu for bundle subscribers beginning Saturday.