“Good Morning America” host Michael Strahan has finally broken his silence about the personal issues that took him away from his desk for several weeks last year.
On Thursday, the former soccer star joined his daughter Isabella, 19, for a candid interview in which he revealed his brain cancer diagnosis, shocking his loved ones. Speaking to co-host Robin Roberts, Strahan said he is “extremely proud” of Isabella for sharing her story, months after she first experienced her symptoms.
“I know she's going through it, but I know they never give us more than we can handle and she's going to crush this,” Strahan said.
Isabella, a freshman at USC, said in late September she began experiencing severe migraines that seemed to get worse. She also felt nauseous and had difficulty walking upright, leading the teen to think she was suffering from vertigo, she told Roberts. Then, she started vomiting blood.
In late October, Isabella said she informed her sister about the blood and news of her health problems quickly spread to the rest of her family. Shortly after, she received emergency treatment at Cedars Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles, where doctors discovered “a rapidly growing four-centimetre tumor” on the back of Isabella's head.
“I don't really remember much; I just remember trying to figure out how to get to Los Angeles as quickly as possible,” Strahan recalled. “It just doesn't feel like a reel.”
In early November, loyal “Good Morning America” viewers noticed that Strahan was missing from the desk. ABC News said his absence would continue while he dealt with family matters. He slowly made his return to television, first on “Fox NFL Sunday” on November 12 and then on “GMA” on November 15.
“It's great to be back,” the 52-year-old presenter said simply of his return. At the time, he did not reveal any further details about his absence.
Isabella was diagnosed with medulloblastoma, a malignant brain tumor that affects the cerebellum, which is involved in muscle coordination, balance and movement, according to the Mayo Clinic. While medulloblastoma can affect people of any age, it is the most common cancerous brain tumor found in children.
One day before her 19th birthday, on October 28, Isabella underwent surgery to remove the tumor. Her recovery journey included learning to walk again and several rounds of radiation treatment.
“It was fantastic, very exciting because it was a long 30 sessions, six weeks,” she told Roberts, also a cancer survivor. Roberts noticed Isabella's shaved head and noted that she was “rocking that hairstyle.”
Since the surgery, Isabella has launched a YouTube series in partnership with the Preston Robert Tisch Brain Tumor Center at Duke University to share her story. She will start chemotherapy next month.
“I'm ready to start, one day closer to finishing,” Isabella added.
While Strahan sees himself as “the luckiest man in the world,” he said his daughter's diagnosis challenged the way he views himself.
“You learn that you're probably not as strong as you thought when you really have to think about real things,” he said. “I realized that I need everyone's support.”
At the end of the interview, Isabella became emotional at the thought of returning to the college routine and living her life in the midst of her battle with cancer. But Strahan reassured her daughter.
“Sixty, 70 years [from now] You'll be bothering someone, I don't know if it's me. I hope it is. But you’ll be here, darling.”
Strahan shares twins Isabella and Sophia with his ex-wife Jean Muggli. He also shares Michael Anthony Strahan Jr. and Tanita Strahan with his ex-wife Wanda Hutchins.
