Eva Pilgrim knows that while a simple act of kindness costs nothing, it can be an invaluable and life-affirming gesture.
As a correspondent for ABC News, Pilgrim, 41, has reported on breaking news stories including the mass shooting in Nashville, Tenn., as well as Hurricanes Matthew, Harvey, Irma, Maria and Michael. And when tragedy and natural disasters strike, Pilgrim says she’s also witnessed the heroic actions of others.
“I’ve learned there’s a lot of good in the world,” she says. “Anytime we cover a really horrible story, there’s always incredible people who care so deeply and step forward to help others.”
Pilgrim has highlighted many of these courageous stories including, most recently, the 12-year-old boy from Palm Beach County who saved his therapist from drowning in a swimming pool this past September. After his therapist had a medical emergency, the boy administered CPR, an act he said he’d learned from watching the television show, “Stranger Things.”
Pilgrim was raised on the concept of kindness, a lesson taught to her early in life by her mother, InSook Kim Gayle, who was born in South Korea and emigrated to the U.S. with Eva and her father when Eva was just a baby. Her father, Tim, was in the military and Pilgrim was born in Seoul, South Korea. She remembers traveling the world as part of a military family before they moved back to her dad’s native South Carolina.
“My mom always says kindness is a look that never goes out of style,” Pilgrim says with a smile. “From a young age, she always taught my sister and brother and I that being kind was the best thing you could be and offer to others.”
Photos By Heidi Gutman
It’s a philosophy Pilgrim continues to practice and a lesson she hopes to pass on to her own daughter, Ella, 2.
“Being kind seems like a small act, but when you add it all up it can really make a big impact on you and those around you,” she says. “My own daughter is at the age now where she repeats everything we do, so I’m really aware of my behavior and try to lead by example.”
Pilgrim believes practicing kindness involves listening and paying attention to those around you. It’s a philosophy she’s carried with her throughout her broadcasting career. After graduating from the University of South Carolina, she got her start at local news stations in Bluefield, W. Va., Columbia, S.C., Charlotte, N.C., Indianapolis, Ind. and Philadelphia, Pa. In 2015, Pilgrim joined ABC News as a correspondent, reporting for shows including “Good Morning America,” “Nightline,” and “World News Tonight with David Muir.” Before joining the third hour of “Good Morning America,” or “GMA3,” Pilgrim served as co-anchor of the weekend edition of “Good Morning America.”
Chief Health and Medical Correspondents Dr. Jennifer Ashton, DeMarco Morgan and Eva Pilgrim, co-anchors of ‘GMA 3: What You Need to Know’
“Since we all lead busy lives, it can be easy to not see what’s happening around you,” she says. “My mom is really big on noticing when someone’s feelings might be hurt or if they’re feeling overlooked, and she taught us the importance of looking outside ourselves to see how we can help others.”
Today, Pilgrim continues to practice kindness by being aware of her interactions with others and picking up on unspoken cues. She even wrote a children’s book about thoughtfulness featuring her French Bulldog, Walter.
“Walter Does His Best: A Frenchie Adventure in Kindness and Muddy Paws,” was published in 2021 and follows the lovable Frenchie as he makes his way through New York, doing his best to do good things for others.
“New York is a wonderful place to live, but it can be isolating and very lonely,” Pilgrim says. “Once I got my dog Walter, it opened up this whole world of people to me in New York that I’d never experienced before and a softness to New York City that I just didn’t even know existed.”
Pilgrim reveals that many parts of Walter’s story are based on real life experiences she’s had with him.
“It was just so fascinating to me, living in New York, and seeing all these people I’ve walked past every day drawn out of by this little puppy,” Pilgrim says. “There’s just something about dogs that bring out the best in people and they’re good icebreakers, too.”
Taking On A New Role
This year Pilgrim was named the new co-host of the third hour of “Good Morning America,” “GMA3: What You Need to Know,” joining DeMarco Morgan and ABC Medical Correspondent, Dr. Jennifer Ashton on the program’s popular news, health and lifestyle show. She and Morgan were chosen to replace departing co-anchors Amy Robach and T.J. Holmes.
“I knew DeMarco because we used to see each other in the field when he was a news correspondent at CBS and I had just started working at ABC,” she says. “Dr. Jen and I would often see each other in the hallway at work and she was always so nice and gave me lots of good advice when I was pregnant.”
On “GMA3: What You Need to Know,” Pilgrim, Morgan and Ashton cover news, health and lifestyle information. In May, they kicked off the show’s “It’s Cool to Be Kind” campaign, a recurring initiative that encourages people to actively practice acts of kindness in their daily lives.
“Knowing we only have between two and six minutes for each interview segment on the show, we work to ensure the questions we ask are impactful,” Pilgrim says. “Our goal is to deliver snack-sized bits of the big headlines, and then have an honest discussion about the day’s topics.”
Pilgrim has also bonded with Morgan and Ashton off screen as the three have started exercising together on Thursdays.
“It started out as a summer shred because we all had upcoming events we wanted to get ready for, so we started working out together with a personal trainer,” Pilgrim says.
The three have posted some of their workouts, which Pilgrim describes as “grueling” on their social media accounts.
“Dr. Jen is a beast, while I call myself more of a ‘fitness hopeful,’” Pilgrim says with a smile.
Home For The Holidays
This year, Pilgrim plans to spend Christmas in South Carolina with her husband, Ed, their daughter, her parents and extended family.
As a family tradition, Pilgrim’s parents celebrate the holidays with a Christmas carol and lighting service at church on Christmas Eve.
“When we come home, we beg my mom to open one present, although she swears every year that she won’t,” Pilgrim says. “In the morning we have breakfast, open presents and go to church on Christmas Day. I grew up in a really religious family and our faith is a huge part of Christmas for us.”
Pilgrim has also started Christmas traditions with her husband and Ella, such as wearing the same pajamas on Christmas Day and taking photos.
“Some of my favorite memories as a child are sneaking around the Christmas tree trying to open up presents,” Pilgrim says. “I was a master at opening presents without anyone being able to tell they’d been opened.”
When she’s not working, Pilgrim says she’s very protective of her family time and weekends. She makes sure to set aside several hours of each day where she doesn’t check her phone.
“I think it’s healthy to have that downtime when you’re not in work mode and you just recharge and live your life,” she says. “I love reading books to my daughter before she goes to bed and practicing my violin for a couple of hours each week.”
Pilgrim also enjoys spending time in South Florida. She and her husband first met at a friend’s wedding in Miami and the two often return to the area for vacations.
“All of my best friends live in South Florida, so we spend quite a bit of time there,” she says. “I have some family there as well, so when we visit, we spend a lot of time on the water or by the pool, and Ella can hit the playground or play in the backyard, which isn’t really possible in New York.”
In addition to visiting a beautiful area, Pilgrim says she treasures the friendships she has in South Florida.
“These friends are our core people and it’s priceless to have these long-term friendships where we’ve celebrated so many milestones together and we continue to make memories,” Pilgrim says.