Same surnames have made everyone assume Kelly O’Donnell is related to Norah O’Donnell, as both mogul journalists have established themselves as White House Correspondents, but this is not the case. They are not related by any means.
Some of the facts that might have led to the assumption can be because of their Irish descent and career in journalism.
Also, people connected them because they resemble each other slightly because of their hair color: red-headed journalist Kelly O’Donnell and brunette journalist Norah O’Donnell.
Norah O'Donnell e Kelly O'Donnell juntas novamente. Apesar do sobrenome, a âncora da CBS e a repórter da NBC não são parentes (nem de longe).
— Danilo Assis (@eudanassis) May 11, 2023
c/c @Lipejp15 pic.twitter.com/cjMNGyHyPl
However, CBS Evening News anchor Norah O’Donnell and NBC News reporter Kelly O’Donnell are not related (not even remotely).
Some other O’Donnells, like activist Christine O’Donnell and commentator Lawrence O’Donnell, have also become targets for the related gossip. Still, none of them are related to one another, including Kelly and Norah O’Donnell.
The family tree of Kelly O’Donnell and Norah O’Donnell: Looking for any familial ties!
Kelly O’Donnell is a 58-year-old journalist born in Cleveland, Ohio, on May 17, 1965. Although her parents’ details remain unknown, her grandparents are Irish, so she holds Irish citizenship.
Kelly remains mum about having any siblings. The only public fact available about Kelly O’Donnell is her marital status.
She is married to Rosslyn resident J. David Ake. He is a photojournalist who has worked for Agence France-Presse, United Press International, and Reuters. He loves exploring Washington monuments and once worked as a White House Photographer.
Brunch is a nonpartisan meal: @KellyO @jdavidake @steveholland1 #whcd @thomsonreuters pic.twitter.com/54RN1NMPrU
— Lauren Young (@LaurenYoung) May 4, 2014
On the other hand, Norah O’Donnell is 50 years old, born in Washington, D.C., on January 23, 1974, to mother Noreen Bernadette and father retired Col. Francis Lawrence O’Donnell.
She comes from a family of scholars; her father is a medical doctor and a U.S. Army officer from Irish roots, hailing from Derry, County Donegal, and Belfast.
All of the details about Norah’s parents are available from various sources, so if Kelly had the same parents as Norah, the details would have been readily available online, which is not the case.
As for siblings, Norah has a younger sister, Mary O’Donnell, the chief of colon and rectal surgery at Military Medical Center, and two brothers, Matt and Frank, the eldest.
Norah is also a married lady to her husband, Geoff Tracy, and refers to herself as his #1 fan on her Instagram bio. Together, the duo share three children: twins Grace and Henry, and a daughter, Riley.
Nonetheless, none of the family lineages shows any connection between veteran journalist Kelly and Norah, and obviously, they are not sisters, either.
Additional Information
- Kelly O’Donnell has a stepdaughter, Daniella, from her husband, J. David Ake’s previous marriage to his ex-wife Karhryn Ake.
- She recently organized the biggest media event, the annual White House Correspondents’ Association Dinner, as the President for the 2023-2024 tenure.
- The look of Kelly O’Donnell in the WHCA raised rumors that she had an illness as she looked slim and lost weight. But fortunately, no such news about her bad health has arisen.
- Norah O’Donnell had spent over 12 years in NBC News before joining CBS.
