Oprah Winfrey Breaks Down in Tears Over Traumatic Relationship with Late Mother Vernita Lee

Entertainment
Alexis N. Crockett
February 12, 2025
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14 minutes read

ABC/Paula Lobo

Oprah Winfrey has shared a deeply personal reflection on her strained relationship with her late mother, Vernita Lee, in the latest episode of her self-titled podcast. The 71-year-old media mogul broke down in tears as she revisited the painful experiences of her childhood and her journey toward forgiveness.

Speaking alongside American psychiatrist Dr. Bruce Perry, a senior fellow at the Child Trauma Academy in Houston, Winfrey addressed a caller named Annie, who shared her struggles with family relationships. The conversation prompted Oprah to open up about her own trauma, recalling the challenges she faced in finding anything kind to say about her mother when asked to give a speech in her honor, per Daily Mail.

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“I had been asked to come to church to give all these accolades about my mother, and I couldn’t think of one thing,” Oprah admitted, her voice breaking with emotion. She recounted listening to others share warm memories of their mothers preparing school lunches and offering care, realizing she had no similar recollections. “I was like, ‘Oh my God, I don’t have one memory.’ And so, when it came time for me to speak, I thought, ‘Well, what do I actually have to be grateful for?'”

Winfrey reflected on how, despite her mother’s efforts, she never felt truly seen or valued. “The best that she knew was not enough to feed what I needed, was not enough to make me feel whole,” she said. “But it was the best that she could do, and I gave up the hope that it could have been anything other than what she had.”

Oprah on “The Oprah Winfrey Podcast.” YouTube/Oprah

Vernita Lee gave birth to Oprah in Mississippi in 1954 while still a teenager, raising her daughter with her own mother before later working as a housekeeper. As an adult, Oprah learned that her mother had placed another daughter for adoption, a revelation that deepened her understanding of Lee’s struggles.

In an emotional interview with People shortly after her mother’s passing in 2018, Winfrey described their final Thanksgiving together at Lee’s Milwaukee home. She initially struggled to find the right words to say goodbye but ultimately made multiple trips to ensure she had closure, per Today.

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“I felt like I knew it was the end, but I wanted to make sure she knew it was the end, and that I said everything I wanted to say,” Oprah recalled. Her heartfelt revelations resonated with many, as fans and celebrities flooded social media with support. “Decades passed. Billions earned. And this still brought her to tears. Parents need to understand and appreciate that what they do and say stays with children FOREVER,” one commenter wrote.

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Actress Holly Robinson Peete praised Oprah’s ability to articulate emotions many struggle to express. “Wow… this is why we love Oprah. Because she shares and articulates things so well and so intentionally that so many could never express properly,” Peete wrote.

Legal analyst Lauren Lake reflected on the generational nature of trauma, writing, “She couldn’t give what she didn’t have. A hard but powerful truth.” As Oprah continues to use her platform to address healing and forgiveness, her latest revelations serve as a reminder of the lasting impact of childhood experiences—and the strength it takes to let go of the past.