A little over a month after the NFL star and “Good Morning America” host Michael Strahan shockingly shared that his 19-year-old daughter Isabella was battling brain cancer, he’s finally provided a tough yet ultimately optimistic update.
Speaking on Thursday’s episode of “GMA,” the host said that he had to take his daughter to the hospital due to a persistent fever that ended up with her having to be admitted for the past three days.
“She said, ‘I thought I’d be here for two hours’... It’s been three days, but hopefully she’ll be home today,” he said “It is tough to see her go through it, but I know she’s a tough young lady and she’s going to make it through.”
After showing a clip of Isabella in the hospital and in good spirits, Strahan went on to say that he believes that the process of her documenting her journey for others has provided some much needed upliftment and positivity.
“I think for her — so many people reached out and said, ‘I’m glad you’re doing this thank you for doing this, this has really helped us,’ he explained. “And all that support that she’s getting from people she doesn’t know, on top of people that she does know, has kept her in a very positive space.”
As previously reported by The Root in January, Isabella revealed she had been diagnosed with medulloblastoma, a cancerous tumor that develops at the base of the skull. Per the Mayo Clinic, medulloblastoma is the most common cancerous brain tumor in children. Although it can be diagnosed at any age, it’s most commonly found in young children ages 5 to 9.
Isabella underwent surgery to remove the tumor in late October 2023, followed by radiation treatment and rehabilitation, which she recently completed in mid-January, according to Entertainment Weekly.