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At 72, she graduates medical school and starts residency
May 15, 2026
Summary
Dawn Zuidgeest-Craft, mother of ABC News meteorologist Ginger Zee, is graduating from medical school this May after her husband's 2020 brain hemorrhage prompted her to pursue a long-held dream. At 72, she becomes her school's oldest graduate and will begin a three-year family medicine residency in Michigan in July.
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Quick Facts
- Zuidgeest-Craft is 72 years old and will be her school's oldest-ever graduate
- She was inspired to enroll after her husband survived a brain hemorrhage in 2020
- She will begin a three-year family medicine residency in Michigan in July 2026
Why It Matters
Her path shows that significant life change and purpose remain possible at any age.