Oprah Winfrey Celebrated Thanksgiving with Her ‘Daughter-Girl’ in Absentia

• Oprah celebrates Thanksgiving at a distance with her “daughter-girl.”

• Oprah lost her child prematurely, but now she got “daughters” she says she was meant to have.

The Thanksgiving season is upon us, and with it, the coming together of families in celebration. Oprah celebrated her Thanksgiving with her partner of 36 years, Stedman Graham, and other close family and friends.

In the video shared on her Instagram, Oprah sat across the table from Graham, surrounded by the rest as they sang along to Cece Winan’s “Goodness of God.”

She disclosed that the song was sent to her by her daughter-girl Thando Dlomo, who could not make it to Thanksgiving as she was working. “It was such a blessing in my life.” Oprah wrote of the song.

While she and Graham never had kids of their own, Oprah is a “mother” to many girls who have hugely benefitted from the “Oprah Winfrey Leadership Academy for Girls” in South Africa.

Opened to help give educational opportunities to intelligent girls that struggle with poverty in South Africa, the academy has seen many girls secure positions at top universities such as Oxford and Harvard. One such beneficiary is Dlomo, who studies at the University of Southern California and is currently an employee of Entertainment Tonight.

Oprah Winfrey Celebrates the Opening of the Oprah Winfrey Leadership Academy for Girls – January 2, 2007 at Oprah Winfrey Leadership Academy for Girls in Henley-on-Klip, South Africa | Source: Getty Images

Oprah refers to the girls at OWLAG as her daughters, and in return, they call her “mom-O.” Oprah has been the strength and driving force behind the girls and has been like a mom to them.

Dlomo says Oprah has always been there for her through all ups and downs of her life. She was there when Dlomo got accepted to OWLAG, lost her mom, went to the US, at her high school graduation, undergraduate graduation, and even at her master’s graduation. She says:

“How do I even say thank you to this woman?”

As for why she refers to Oprah as “mom,” Dlomo says it is their culture to call someone older than them and one they respect “mom” even though they are unrelated biologically. She adds:

“It’s the least I can [do to] show you that kind of respect for everything you have done.”

Oprah Talks about the “Daughters” She Was Meant to Have

As alums of OWLAG, the girls look up to Oprah for advice about everything. They are her daughters and her most significant source of joy. Oprah says she wanted to build a school for girls like her.

Oprah Winfrey poses with the Graduates on her arrival at the inaugural graduation of the class of 2011 at Oprah Winfrey Leadership Academy for Girls on January 14, 2012 in Henley on Klip, South Africa | Source: Getty Images

Growing up poor, Oprah understands how poverty can eat at one physically and mentally and even steal one’s dream. She understands where these girls came from and is hell-bent on carving a brighter future for them.

What started as a mentorship program has slowly grown into a family, and the bond has grown so much over the years that she now says:

“They are the daughters I did not have.”

The TV host, also known as America’s first lady of talk shows, says she did not imagine her motherhood instinct would manifest as much as it has over the years. She believes this was how she got her second chance at being a mom after losing her only baby.

Oprah Winfrey at the premiere of “Sidney” held at the Academy Museum of Motion Pictures on September 21, 2022 in Los Angeles, California | Source: Getty Images

The star relives her painful past, recalling how she lost her premature baby as a teen. She disclosed that she was sexually abused at nine, an atrocity that continued until she eventually fell pregnant at 14.

She gave birth to her son, who she called Canaan, but he sadly passed away in the hospital weeks later. Now, impacting hundreds of lives has given her a chance to be a mom again, and she relishes it.

What Is Oprah’s Personal Life Like?

Oprah and Graham have been together for 36 years, and despite never walking down the aisle, their relationship only keeps improving. When Oprah met the businessman, she thought he was nice enough. However, she says she was not that impressed with him.

Oprah Winfrey and Stedman Graham attend Tyler Perry Studios grand opening gala at Tyler Perry Studios on October 05, 2019 in Atlanta, Georgia. | Source: Getty Images

He had all good qualities — polite, kind, tall, and handsome. In fact, Oprah thought he was too attractive to be interested in her. Even her producers warned her to be cautious of him.

They started as friends and grew to love each other. Oprah says he wanted a man precisely like Graham, and he was an answered prayer. She praises him for being loyal and supportive:

“He’s a very special man in that he’s not the least bit intimidated by me or what I do.”

Despite societal pressures to take their relationship to the next level and get married, the two maintain that their unconventional setup works best for them. They will only get married when they are both ready to take that step. As it stands, they are happy with the way things are and don’t want to change a thing.

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