T.J. Holmes Credits Amy Robach for 'Literally Helping Save My Life' amid His 'Darkest Days' 

When TJ Holmes joined GMA3 in September 2023, should have been cause for celebration. But the turning point in his career was overshadowed by one of the darkest periods of his life.

During the latest episode of their podcast Amy & TJwhich was recorded live in New York on June 10, ex GMA3 host, 46, spoke about that difficult time, which included struggles with alcohol, depression and suicidal thoughts. At one point, his mental health was so bad that Holmes said he found himself sleeping on a street bench at night.

“I didn’t realize how bad I was,” he said. “I would walk back and forth in the middle of the night, because I didn’t want to go home, and I would just walk the streets. … [In Manhattan] there is a bench on 14th Street, west of Union Square, where I actually slept at night. I was the best-dressed homeless man you ever saw.”

Robach, seeing him “as no one else was,” helped lift him out of depression by introducing him to running. “She wouldn’t let me skate on anything,” he says. “I give her credit for literally helping to save my life.”

Amy Robach and TJ Holmes Relationship Timeline

Amy Robach and TJ Holmes in New Orleans in February 2024.

Amy Robach/Instagram

For her part, Robach, 51, was modest about the role she played during Holmes’ “darkest days.”

“Your saved your life. You did and we became best friends,” she told Holmes. “We were good friends, but when we started hosting that show together, it was amazing to watch you transform into the best version of yourself. And I knew your heart, and I knew your beautiful mind, and I knew you were struggling. Sometimes you just need a friend. Sometimes you just need one person to believe in you.”

The couple spent long hours GMA3, they start in the office at 5 am and work until 11 pm

“We’d leave the studio, go for a run on the West Side Highway, go to practice, and then … have a beer after the run,” Holmes recalled. “This happened day after day. And so my good friend became my best friend, and then he became everything.”

Holmes and Robach’s relationship eventually went public in November 2022. Holmes and his ex Marilee Fiebig split weeks later, while Robach later finalized her divorce from Andrew Shue in March, according to Page six.

Amy Robach and TJ Holmes attend Today Show Producer Jen Long’s Wedding — See Photos!

Amy Robach and TJ Holmes at the 2024 United Airlines NYC Half Marathon in New York in March 2024.

Mike Stobe/Getty for the New York Road Runners

Days after making their red carpet debut at the iHeartRadio Jingle Ball in December 2023, the couple launched their podcast Amy & TJ, which became a platform for them to discuss their relationship, even going so far as to discuss their “communication gaps” and interviewing guests such as Gavin Rossdale, Rachel Platten, Cheryl Burke, Larsa Pippen and Lisa Niemi Swayze.

It seems the couple’s bond is now stronger than ever. Robach expressed his desire during an Amy & TJ episode in February to elope to Fiji for his third wedding; during an April episode of their podcast, the two casually chatted about engagement rings, and while on the subject of marriage, they both admitted that they still haven’t figured out if a wedding is in their future.

What Robach and Holmes know for sure is that their love was worth the risk, despite the setbacks they faced and the mistakes they made. Never miss a story — sign up for PEOPLE’s free daily newsletter to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.

“The journey that brought us here in front of you, we can be grateful for,” Holmes said at the June 10 event, adding, “When that rare thing happens in — maybe it’s love — but when it’s right there in front of you, life is too short, you have to make an effort.”

If you or someone you know needs mental health help, text “STRENGTH” to the text crisis line at 741-741 to be connected to a certified crisis counselor.

Categories: Trends
Source: HIS Education