Isabella Strahan Bursts Into Tears Recalling Brain Cancer Diagnosis (Exclusive)

Isabella Strahan was very open throughout her journey battling medulloblastoma, an aggressive brain cancer. Now, along with her family, she’s offering an even closer look at the health challenges she faced following her 2023 diagnosis.

On Feb. 5, the 20-year-old daughter of Michael Strahan will be featured in an ABC special: Life Interrupted: Isabella Strahan’s Fight Against Cancer. In an emotional trailer for the special, Isabella reflects on her cancer diagnosis and how she tried to keep a positive mindset despite her pain.

“You don’t really think the worst until you get told the worst.” she says before breaking down in tears.

On October 28, 2023, her 19th birthday, Isabella underwent emergency surgery to remove a golf-ball-sized brain tumor. The USC student and model’s parents Michael Strahan and Jean Muggli recall how shocking her diagnosis was for the family.

“The first thing that went through my mind was, ‘This must be a mistake.’ It didn’t seem real,” the Good Morning America co-anchor, 53, says.

“As a parent, you’re just scared,” Michael continues. “She told me at one point, ‘I’ll do whatever I gotta do because I don’t want to die.’ And I was like, wow.”

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“That was just the worst moment any parent could expect,” Muggli adds in the preview.

Isabella — who is now cancer-free — underwent multiple rounds of radiation, grueling chemotherapy and several surgeries. Her twin sister Sophia says she was in shock and it was difficult to process what her sister was going through.

Sophia says she and Isabella are “inseparable” and she vowed to be by her side throughout her cancer battle.

“They take care of each other,” Michael notes. “That love and that support really helped her pull through.”

“Personally, I look at things a lot differently. Realizing life is short and it could change like that,” he says, snapping his fingers. 

Both Michael and Muggli praised how far their daughter has come and how proud they are of her.

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The trailer also gives a glimpse at the emotional moment Isabella connects with a fellow cancer patient, Seana Isaac. The two burst into tears hugging each other as Isaac shares how much the model has made a difference in her life.

Sophia admits she’s in awe of the impact Isabella has made sharing her story in real-time through a series of YouTube vlogs.

“It really impressed me how she was able to share her story in a way that is really powerful,” she says of her sister. 

“It’s been very hard but I know I’ll get through it,” Isabella says at the end of the trailer. “It’s really great to just feel free.”

Life Interrupted: Isabella Strahan’s Fight Against Cancer airs on ABC at 10:00 p.m. EST on Wednesday, Feb. 5, and streams next day on Disney+ and Hulu.