Ginger Renee Colonomos was born on January 13, 1981, in Orange, California. She was widely recognized by her pseudonym, Ginger Zee.
Ginger was the daughter of Dawn Zuidgeest-Craft (née Hemleb) and Robert Zuidgeest. She was less than a year old when her family relocated to Michigan.
Fascinated by the Gilligan Island show, her Dutch father named her after Ginger from the show.
Her family expanded to include a stepfather, Carl Craft, and two half-sisters named Adrianna and Elaina Craft.
It didn’t end there, as her paternal parents were named Adriaan Cornelis “Adrian” or “Arie” Zuidgeest and Hillegonda “Hilda” Zuidgeest. They both resided in the Netherlands but immigrated to the United States.
Her maternal grandparents were known as George Joseph Hemleb and grandmother Paula Adeline Wesner.
Zee was questioned about her choice of meteorologists. She responded, “I witnessed a waterspout on Lake Michigan when I was eight…I was captivated and I genuinely believed it was the most amazing thing I had ever seen.
Zee completed her education at Rockford High School in Rockford, Michigan. Then, she pursued a degree in meteorology, mathematics, and Spanish at Valparaiso University.
How Did the Narcoleptic Become a TV Meteorologist?
She set a solid goal of becoming a meteorologist on The Today Show by the age of 30. After graduating, she worked with various media outlets such as WEYI-tv in Flint, Michigan, WEYI-tv in Merrillville, Indiana, and other media outlets.
During 2006-2011, while working with WMAQ, Ginger was invited to appear as a guest meteorologist on The Today Show, thus achieving her post-university goal.
Following her guest appearance, she continued to climb the ladder of success. After joining Good Morning America Weekend on November 25, 2011, she gained national prominence. Occasionally, Ginger appears on Abc programs such as ABC World News Tonight and Nightline.
On December 2, 2013, ABC announced Zee as the chief meteorologist for Good Morning America Weekend and weather editor at ABC news. She furthered her success by working with The Weather Channel, surpassing Sam Champion.
In 2015, Ginger competed in a Celebrity Jeopardy episode against Bellamy Young. The show features celebrities vying against each other by answering quizzes and general knowledge questions. However, Bellamy Young emerged victorious.
On March 4, 2016, Zee was revealed as a celebrity participant in the 22nd session of ABC’s Dancing with the stars.
She partnered with the two-time Latin Dance champion Valentin Chmerkovskiy. The duo delivered an impressive performance on stage, securing the third place.
What Kind of Person Is Zee?
You don’t always have to be an actor, producer, or director to be a public figure. Some public figures can be as unassuming as an ordinary person.
They may appear unassuming in public, but they excel in their field. The same can be said for Ginger Zee, as she is recognized as one of the most esteemed personalities.
She has worked tirelessly to achieve her goals. Since childhood, she had aspired to become a meteorologist. Today, she achieved that goal and is setting new targets for her future accomplishments.
Was Zee Diagnosed With Narcolepsy?
Yes, at the age of 21, Ginger Zee was diagnosed with Narcolepsy, a chronic sleep disorder characterized by overwhelming daytime drowsiness and sudden sleep attacks.
This disorder led Zee to face challenges, as Narcolepsy caused her to experience daytime sleepiness.
Zee was also questioned in an interview about her symptoms, and she recalled, “I probably had them from my mid-teens. I remember falling asleep in class in high school, which was not characteristic of me. I was an over-achieving perfectionist.”
Zee also divulged about her three serious car accidents, “I still didn’t realize that [I was falling asleep] until I got into three separate car accidents. I started secretly smoking, and I was doing everything possible to stay awake while driving because I was so afraid of harming myself and others in the car.
Unaware of this disorder, she underwent a full-body check-up, during which the doctors found nothing unusual. However, at 21, during a sleep study, Ginger discovered that she was narcoleptic.
When Did Zee Get Married?
In August 2016, Zee became engaged to Ben Aaron. Both of them are TV personalities, and Ben is a media professional based in New York City. He has previously been associated with NBCUniversal’s LXTV and WNBC’s New York Live.
Currently, her husband is working as a reporter on Pix11 Morning News in NYC. The couple tied the knot on June 7, 2014. They welcomed their first child, a son named Adrian Benjamin Colonomos, in December in Petoskey, Michigan.
On August 14, 2017, while reporting on Good Morning America, Ginger announced that she was expecting her second child. In February, she gave birth to her second son, whom she named Miles Macklin.
The National Weather Museum and Science Centre congratulated Ginger on her induction into the Weather Hall of Fame on Instagram.
What Was The Tweet Critic?
Despite being widely respected, celebrities have to endure criticism at some point in their careers.
A fan once targeted Zee on Twitter, posting, “Your children will resent you when they grow up.” Balancing her career with motherhood, the mother of two was prompted to respond to this tweet, stating, “On my way back to work, caught the light AND reflected on the person who insinuated that my children will resent me because I work.”
Ginger further emphasized, “That person is mistaken, but I can’t deny that there are sacrifices. Both mom, dad, grandparents, or anyone who makes up the support system.
Where Is Ginger Zee Now?
Born in Michigan, the renowned meteorologist currently resides in Manhattan with her husband and two children. She maintains a low profile in public and does not let gossip about their separation circulate.
Latest News About Ginger Zee
Ginger is known as the meteorologist on Good Morning America Weekend and is also an acclaimed author.
She authored a book called “Natural Disaster,” which became a bestseller in New York. Recently, her five-year-old son captured the hearts of Ginger’s fans on social media.
Her son shared a post on social media, stating, “You are the best mom,” on top of his picture, alongside the words “Best mom” and “Mom I love you.” “I need nothing else in life…”
Ginger included heart emojis and hashtags such as ‘Kids art,’ ‘Love,’ and ‘Boy mom.’ Fans immediately responded to the post with comments such as, “Nothing better than love from your babies,” and “That’s the sweetest.”
What Is Ginger Zee’s Wealth?
Ginger is an American television personality with a wealth of 2.5 million dollars and an annual salary of 500 thousand dollars. She continues to strive towards her next goal.
