‘Good Morning America’ Host Shares Update On Daughter’s Cancer Battle In Heartbreaking Interview

‘Good Morning America’ host Michael Strahan and his twin daughters, Isabella and Sophia, shared an update on Isabella’s battle with brain cancer in an emotional and candid interview. Isabella, now 19, was diagnosed with medulloblastoma, a fast-growing tumor located in her cerebellum, in October.

Isabella recalled the moment she first realized something was wrong. “I hadn’t felt my best for maybe the month of October… We did an MRI, and [the doctor] said, ‘Go straight to the emergency room.’ I didn’t know what was wrong, but everyone else did.”

Strahan, the former NFL star and host of ‘$100,000 Pyramid,’ admitted the diagnosis was devastating for their family. “You’re so used to as a parent fixing things and taking care of things, especially something that hurts your child.”

“Here you can’t do anything. You’re at the mercy of doctors and medicine and science, and you just have to sit there and hold her hand, support her, get her cups of ice and water and just tell her, ‘you’re going to be okay,'” the former NFL star told People.

Isabella underwent emergency brain surgery on October 28th, which also happened to be her birthday. Despite the seriousness of her condition, Isabella remained optimistic. The challenges didn’t end with surgery. Isabella went through multiple rounds of chemotherapy and radiation, with her father and sister by her side.

Stahan with Isabella 2023

Sophia, who is Isabella’s twin, expressed how difficult it was to see her sister in such a vulnerable state. “I would always push the wheelchair behind her, she would take steps in like the hallway and we found things that she liked to eat.”

“She wasn’t eating much. She was thin and tired and bald and all the things you hate to see your kid go through.” Strahan praised his daughter’s resilience and the support of their family and friends. “I don’t know how she did it. I was struggling myself with it so I always say she’s a lot stronger than I am.”

Throughout her treatment, Isabella tried to maintain a sense of normalcy. One of the most emotional moments of the interview came when Strahan recalled Isabella telling him, “I’ll do whatever I have to in order to live.” Fighting back tears, Strahan said, “That was the hardest thing I’ve ever had to hear, but it was also reassuring because I knew she wouldn’t quit.”

Now in the recovery phase, Isabella continues to undergo regular scans to monitor her health. “You think that when you have cancer, you’ll wake up every day thinking about it, but at some point, you just wake up and live,” Strahan said, echoing advice they received from fellow cancer survivor and TV anchor Robin Roberts.

Isabella remains hopeful for the future and has learned valuable lessons through her ordeal. “If there’s an opportunity, I do want to do it. I want to do as much as I can, and I think it shows you how important family—the people who really support you—and to be there for other people. I think that’s, like, one of the main lessons I’ve kind of learned through my whole experience.”