GMA anchor Robin Roberts tears up at WINGS performance in Biloxi

BILOXI, MS (WLOX) - Good Morning America anchor and Pass Christian native Robin Roberts couldn't hold back the tears during one of the WINGS performances dedicated to her later mother Lucimarian Roberts at the Beau Rivage Thursday night.

More than 300 mostly young people from all over the coast performed at Lynn Meadows Discovery Center's WINGS Performing Arts Program called "Dreams-The Power of Music."

Former WLOX News anchor Rebecca Powers performed on stage with WINGS performers singing, her song, "Washed Away."

Robin Robert's sister Dorothy Roberts also performed singing their mother's favorite hymn, "Joy Bells".

WINGS performers took the stage singing, in brightly colored costumes singing,” I will survive."

Other acts included, the Ocean Springs Middle School Jazz Hounds, The Rockestra Revolution, Coast Episcopal/Hope Academy Chorus, Choreometry, Cast of Tarzan the Musical, Girl Scouts of Greater Mississippi, StageStruck Performance Studio and the Snow Queen cast.

But the event was more than just entertainment. It honored first responders.

Governor Phil Bryant attended along with former Governor Haley Barbour who talked about the resilience of first responders following Hurricane Katrina.

In between performances attendees watched images on projectors of Katrina's destruction.

"Unfortunately, those pictures that you saw were the stories of the ashes destruction, sorrow, hopelessness, despair, but I echo what Governor Bryant said in that those stories have turned into something else. There stories of determination," said Lynn Meadow co-founder Carole Lynn Meadows.

Former Governor Haley Barbour said he'll remember his time in office more because of Katrina and its aftermath than anything else that happened in his eight year tenure.

"Like Ms. Carole said, when you listen to Rebecca sing this song about being washed away it reminds me about one of our great songs about our first responders," Barbour said. "There's so many people to be grateful to and proud of in the wake of Katrina. I think of the military, who came down. The people from other states who came here to help us, employees of 46 different states. Nearly 25,000 people were donated to us by our sister states to help us."

This is the 13th year the Beau Rivage has hosted the performance.

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