Who Is Katie Springer? 5 Things to Know About Jerry Springer’s Daughter

His whole world! While Jerry Springer was known for facilitating drama on air, he had nothing but love for his daughter, Katie Springer.

The late Jerry Springer host — who died in April 2023 at age 79 — welcomed his only child with wife Micki Velton in 1976, three years after the pair tied the knot. As Katie faced health issues as a newborn and is reportedly legally blind and deaf in one ear, her parents sought to make sure she got all the support she needed.

“I’ve heard this story that when I was first born and they heard about all these problems, they just said, ‘We’re never going to treat her different, we’re going to make sure she knows she’s not different,'” the Chicago resident recalled in an interview with Access Hollywood in 2006.

While Jerry rose to fame with his political career and TV endeavors, his family chose to remain out of the spotlight. However, when Jerry decided to compete on season 3 of Dancing With the Stars in September 2006, he gave his daughter credit for his participation.

“I originally told them no, I didn’t want to do it. I don’t know how to dance and I didn’t think it was appropriate,” the former mayor of Cincinnati admitted to Access Hollywood at the time, noting he wanted to learn to dance ahead of his daughter’s wedding. “But then I talked with Katie about it and we thought, you know what, this could be a way to combine what I do in life, which is show business, with the wedding.” (Katie wed husband Adam Yenkin in 2006.)

Jerry’s daughter’s health journey also served as an inspiration for him to take the risk and join the dance competition. “It’s not much different than Katie’s life,” he explained at the time. “The lesson of life, which you teach your children, is that whatever hand you’re dealt, you go out there and do the best you can and you don’t worry about how good anyone else might be, you don’t worry about vanity of, ‘Oh, I’m going to look silly.’ Katie lives her whole life like that, so I can do it in a dance?”

In April 2023, Us Weekly confirmed that the talk show host died from pancreatic cancer.

“Jerry’s ability to connect with people was at the heart of his success in everything he tried whether that was politics, broadcasting or just joking with people on the street who wanted a photo or a word,” family spokesperson Jene Galvin told Us at the time. “He’s irreplaceable and his loss hurts immensely, but memories of his intellect, heart and humor will live on.”

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Keep scrolling to learn more about Jerry’s daughter, Katie:

1. Katie Springer Works With Kids Who Have Special Needs
As Katie battled several health issues throughout her life, she was inspired to give back to her community. In the 2000s, Katie worked as an assistant teacher at Chicago's Park School with children who have special needs. The Daily Northwestern reported that Jerry donated $230,000 to the school in 2006 to have a high-tech facility built for students with disabilities, which was named Katie’s Corner. Shutterstock

2. Katie Springer Inspired Dad Jerry Springer to Compete on ‘Dancing With the Stars’
While Jerry initially turned down the opportunity to compete on the dance competition series in 2006, he changed his mind after talking to Katie about it. She thought it was a good way for him to learn how to dance ahead of her wedding later that year. After finishing DWTS in fifth place, Jerry’s dance partner, Kym Johnson, taught Jerry and Katie a waltz routine for her nuptials. Kobal/Shutterstock

3. Jerry Springer Had a Close Bond With Katie
Katie expressed her gratitude for her dad and the life lessons he taught her, crediting him for her ability to “live independently and have a wonderful career.”  “If you give your kids wings, they'll fly," she quotes to Access Hollywood in 2006, recalling one of her dad’s favorite expressions. ITV/Shutterstock

4. Katie Springer Is Married and Has a Child
Katie tied the knot with Yenkin in 2006 after her dad wrapped up filming for DWTS. Two years later, the couple welcomed their first child, making Jerry a grandfather. Alan Davidson/Shutterstock

5. Katie Springer Supported Her Dad’s Political Endeavors
While Jerry was a well-known TV personality, he also had an established political career. Prior to his foray onto daytime television, Jerry was elected to the Cincinnati City Council in 1971 and later served as the Mayor of Cincinnati in 1977. Katie, for her part, thought her dad would have made a great President of the United States. "I will stand up to anyone verbally who attacks my dad because he's wonderful … he would make one hell of a president," Katie told Access Hollywood in 2006. "I think people don't realize what a huge heart he has. If my dad could change the world and make it better for everybody, he would." Kobal/Shutterstock

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