Michael Strahan's daughter Isabella, 19, reveals she had to undergo emergency surgery amid devastati

Publish date: 2024-08-10

Michael Strahan’s daughter Isabella has revealed she had to make two emergency trips to the hospital amid her brain cancer battle – including one visit that ended up in a last-minute surgery to drain fluid from her head. 

Last week, the Good Morning America host, 52, revealed that she was in back in the ER following a ‘rough setback’ after she recently started chemotherapy treatment.

Last month, Isabella, 19, broke down in tears as she discussed her medulloblastoma – a rare form of brain cancer – diagnosis during an episode of the show, explaining that she had undergone emergency surgery after doctors found a tumor ‘bigger than a golf ball’ growing at the back of her brain.

Now, the 19-year-old has candidly opened up in more detail about her ongoing battle, explaining in a YouTube video that she’s been forced to go to the ER twice because she was suffering from an over 102-degree fever – and ultimately had to have emergency surgery to drain the fluid from her head. 

Michal Strahan's daughter Isabella has revealed that she had to make two emergency trips to the hospital - adding that she had to undergo immediate surgery during her second visit

Michal Strahan’s daughter Isabella has revealed that she had to make two emergency trips to the hospital – adding that she had to undergo immediate surgery during her second visit

Last month, the host's daughter, 19, broke down in tears as she discussed her medulloblastoma - a rare form of brain cancer - diagnosis during an episode of Good Morning America

Last month, the host’s daughter, 19, broke down in tears as she discussed her medulloblastoma – a rare form of brain cancer – diagnosis during an episode of Good Morning America

Now, the 19-year-old has candidly shared her ongoing battle as she went back to the ER twice because she was suffering from an over 102-degree fever

Now, the 19-year-old has candidly shared her ongoing battle as she went back to the ER twice because she was suffering from an over 102-degree fever

In a new video shared to her YouTube account – where she has been documenting her ongoing battle with brain cancer – Isabella shared that she was back in the hospital. 

‘I’ve been getting a lot of fevers. If you have a fever over 100.4, you have to come in,’ she said as her dad sat in the room with her.

Then, the clip cut to a nurse telling the University of Southern California (USC) freshman that she was all set to leave the hospital. 

However, ‘less than 12 hours later,’ Isabella was back to the ER. 

While laying in a hospital bed, she said: ‘I catfished everyone we left the hospital after like three, four days and now we’re back less than 12 hours later.

‘I have a fever, again. I got a fever 102 and had to come back in so we we’re trying to find out what’s wrong but no one can find out,’ she said. 

The GMA host’s daughter then shared that she was feeling ‘worse’ than she has in the past. 

‘I just don’t want to stay here,’ she added. 

In a new video shared to her YouTube account - where she has been documenting her ongoing battle with brain cancer - Isabella shared that she was back in the hospital

In a new video shared to her YouTube account – where she has been documenting her ongoing battle with brain cancer – Isabella shared that she was back in the hospital

The GMA host's daughter then shared that she was feeling 'worse' than she has in the past

The GMA host’s daughter then shared that she was feeling ‘worse’ than she has in the past

At the end of the video, she revealed that she had to be rushed into emergency surgery

At the end of the video, she revealed that she had to be rushed into emergency surgery

She then explained that her port, which is a device that delivers chemotherapy treatment directly to your bloodstream, had been leaving her in an excruciating amount of pain lately. 

The college student noted that her health had been declining – adding that she struggled to walk now.  

‘I don’t feel great, I don’t feel horrible, I felt worse but I don’t feel good. I feel like I can barely walk now,’ she admitted. 

At the end of the video, she revealed that she had to be rushed into emergency surgery.  

‘I have surgery last minute now. They have to drain fluid from the back of my head so they’re just going to stick a needle in my head and drain it. 

‘I’ll be under anesthesia but still very very much not what I planned to do because I didn’t plan on coming back to do surgery,’ she said. 

The 19-year-old then asked viewers to ‘wish [her] luck.’ 

Last week, Michael admitted that Isabella has faced a road bump in her treatment.

During an episode of GMA, he shared, ‘She’s fighting through it but the last three days have been a little rough because she had a fever so I had to take her to the hospital. 

Last week, Michael admitted that Isabella has faced a road bump in her treatment

 Last week, Michael admitted that Isabella has faced a road bump in her treatment

‘We thought she’d be home a few hours later, but it’s been three days. But hopefully she’ll be home today.’

Michael added that it was ‘tough’ to see his daughter ‘go through this,’ but that he ‘knows she’s going to get through it’ because she’s ‘a tough young lady.’

Since first opening up about her diagnosis on the morning show, Isabella has been documenting her horrific journey on her YouTube account, where she has racked up more than 21,000 subscribers. 

Her father added of her decision to be so open about it online, ‘She’s [doing it] in the hopes that other people with the same diagnosis will feel supported and know they are not alone.’

Isabella has previously opened up about some of the terrible symptoms she has endured as a result of her chemotherapy.

At the time, she said ‘everything’ hurt and it felt like she was ‘having a heart attack.’

‘My eyes are strained, they hurt to look to the sides. My whole mouth feels like I got one giant root canal,’ she continued.

‘Every single tooth, just ripped out and not even surgically put back in. My jaw hurts, the bottom of my tongue hurts. It hurts when I gulp water.’

During an episode of GMA, he shared, 'The last three days have been a little rough because she had a fever so I had to take her to the hospital'

During an episode of GMA, he shared, ‘The last three days have been a little rough because she had a fever so I had to take her to the hospital’

Michael added that it was 'tough' to see his daughter 'go through this,' but that he 'knows she's going to get through it' because she's 'a tough young lady'

Michael added that it was 'tough' to see his daughter 'go through this,' but that he 'knows she's going to get through it' because she's 'a tough young lady'

Michael added that it was ‘tough’ to see his daughter ‘go through this,’ but that he ‘knows she’s going to get through it’ because she’s ‘a tough young lady’

Ever since she spoke out about her diagnosis on the morning show, Isabella has been documenting her horrific journey on her YouTube account

Ever since she spoke out about her diagnosis on the morning show, Isabella has been documenting her horrific journey on her YouTube account

Isabella explained on GMA in January that she started suffering from ‘excruciating headaches’ during her freshman year in college. 

‘I noticed something was off since probably September,’ she shared. ‘Like October 1, that’s when I definitely noticed headaches, nausea, [I] couldn’t walk straight.’ 

Her father added of her decision to be so open about it online, 'She's [doing it] in the hopes that other people with the same diagnosis will feel supported and know they are not alone'

Her father added of her decision to be so open about it online, ‘She’s [doing it] in the hopes that other people with the same diagnosis will feel supported and know they are not alone’

Initially, Isabella said she mistook her symptoms for vertigo. Michael confessed that when his daughter shared her symptoms with him, he never considered that they might be indications that she was battling cancer, particularly because she was just 18 and was so ‘young, strong and healthy.’

However, on October 25, Isabella said her condition took a severe decline, with the teenager revealing that she began throwing up blood soon after waking up.

Joking that she thought, ‘This probably isn’t good,’ Isabella revealed that she texted her sister to tell her what was going on – and she then ‘notified the whole family.’

It was at that point that Michael said the family decided Isabella ‘really needed to go get a thorough check-up’ with a doctor, adding: ‘Thank goodness for the doctor… I feel like the doctor saved her life.’

Isabella said the doctor ‘did an EKG and other stuff,’ before sending her to another facility in order to get an MRI.

In a video shared last week, Isabella opened up about some of the terrible symptoms she had endured as a result of her chemotherapy

In a video shared last week, Isabella opened up about some of the terrible symptoms she had endured as a result of her chemotherapy

At the time, she said 'everything' hurt and it felt like she was 'having a heart attack'

She added, 'My eyes are strained. My whole mouth feels like I got one giant root canal'

At the time, she said ‘everything’ hurt and it felt like she was ‘having a heart attack.’ She added, ‘My eyes are strained. My whole mouth feels like I got one giant root canal’

‘So I went to take [the MRI] somewhere else and then she called me and she said, “You need to head to Cedars-Sinai right now, I’m going to meet you there,”‘ recalled the teen, adding that the doctor gave her no other information about her diagnosis at the time.

Once at the hospital, Isabella was told that she had developed a ‘fast-growing four centimeter tumor in the back of her brain’ that required emergency surgery.

According to Michael, he was told about his daughter’s brain tumor before she was, explaining that he ‘doesn’t remember much’ about the moment he learned of her diagnosis, but that he just ‘remembers trying to figure out how to get to Los Angeles ASAP.’

Isabella was ultimately diagnosed with medulloblastoma, which – according to GMA – accounts for 20 per cent of all childhood brain tumors and is typically found in about 500 children each year, most commonly those between the ages of five and nine.

On October 27, one day before her 19th birthday, Isabella underwent emergency surgery to remove the tumor, with Michael stating that doctors wanted to ‘get it out as soon as possible.’

Isabella explained on GMA in January that she started suffering from 'excruciating headaches' during her freshman year in college

Isabella explained on GMA in January that she started suffering from ‘excruciating headaches’ during her freshman year in college 

Once at the hospital, Isabella was told that she had developed a 'fast-growing four centimeter tumor in the back of her brain' that required emergency surgery

Once at the hospital, Isabella was told that she had developed a ‘fast-growing four centimeter tumor in the back of her brain’ that required emergency surgery 

Following the surgery, Isabella (seen with her dad and sister) underwent several rounds of proton radiation therapy, which she completed just one day before her GMA appearance

Following the surgery, Isabella (seen with her dad and sister) underwent several rounds of proton radiation therapy, which she completed just one day before her GMA appearance

‘It sent a signal of how serious it was when they said, “Hey, you shouldn’t risk trying to put her on a plane to get her to the East Coast or another doctor. We know what it is and we should get it out as soon as possible,”‘ he recalled of his conversation with doctors.

Thankfully, doctors told the family that, although serious, they were ‘confident’ that they could treat Isabella’s cancer.

The teenager faced an uphill battle in the wake of the surgery, during which she underwent a ‘grueling month of rehab,’ which included re-learning how to walk.

Following the surgery, Isabella underwent several rounds of proton radiation therapy, which she completed just one day before she revealed her diagnosis to the world.

‘I got to ring the bell [signifying the end of treatment] yesterday,’ she shared with a smile.

‘It was great, it was very exciting because it’s been a long 30 sessions [over] six weeks.

‘I’m feeling good, not too bad. I’m very excited for this whole process to wrap but you just have to keep living every day through the whole thing.’

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