Michael Strahan has quietly entered another major family chapter following his daughter’s miraculous healing.
The former NFL star and “Good Morning America” co-anchor recently welcomed his fifth child with longtime girlfriend Kayla Quick. His daughter Isabella was diagnosed with medulloblastoma in October 2023, shortly before her 19th birthday.
Michael Strahan has four older children from two previous marriages. He shares Tanita and Michael Jr. with Wanda Hutchins, while the twins Isabella and Sophia are his daughters with Jean Muggli.
Michael Strahan is now a father of five after quietly welcoming a baby girl with Kayla Quick. The couple’s daughter reportedly arrived earlier this year, although they have not publicly shared her name or other details about the birth. Their decision to keep the arrival private fits the couple’s approach to their relationship, which has largely remained out of the spotlight.
Quick and Strahan have been linked since 2015. Quick is the co-founder of FIZZNESS, a wellness supplement company, and has occasionally appeared beside Strahan during important family moments. She attended his Hollywood Walk of Fame ceremony in 2023 and later watched his twin daughters graduate from high school.
Strahan has often spoken about the importance of fatherhood. In 2016, he said, “My kids give me strength,” while explaining that family had become more important to him than anything else.
A year later, he received a Father of the Year Award from the National Father’s Day Committee. He shared with PEOPLE that fatherhood is both the greatest joy and greatest source of stress in his life.
Strahan’s Daughter Fought For Her Life From The Grasp Of Cancer
The latest family milestone comes after Isabella’s difficult road back to normal life. She was diagnosed with a large medulloblastoma in October 2023 and underwent emergency surgery before beginning six weeks of radiation and four rounds of chemotherapy.
She ultimately went through three brain surgeries before announcing in July 2024 that she was cancer-free. On the 16th of September 2025, Isabella shared a TikTok documenting the contrast between her treatment and recovery.
The video showed her in pain, relearning how to walk and coping with hair loss before cutting to footage of her running, standing on a mountain and completing her first modeling job after treatment. She captioned the emotional video, “Living the life I fought for,” alongside H.E.R.’s “The Journey.”
The media outlet also reported that Isabella had spoken earlier in 2025 about rebuilding her strength after treatment. She said she had lost significant weight because she struggled with nausea and had little appetite, while also losing much of her leg muscle.
The model said she wished she had forced herself to move, even if it meant walking just 100 steps a day, and urged herself to “Move” and drink plenty of water.
A Cancer Battle That Changed Two Sisters Forever
Isabella’s illness also transformed her relationship with her twin sister, Sophia. The sisters recalled growing up in matching outfits and sharing similar interests while still wanting separate identities. Isabella admitted she disliked being reduced to simply “the twins.” Their relationship sometimes included clashes, but Isabella’s 2023 diagnosis changed the dynamic between them.
Sophia recalled that the diagnosis initially did not feel real to her. She immediately left for Los Angeles at 5 a.m. and arrived just 30 minutes before Isabella went into surgery, determined to be beside her sister. Isabella later said the experience put her family into perspective, while Sophia acknowledged that supporting her sister changed their relationship.
Isabella’s treatment was not without further complications. After her third brain surgery, a high fever led to hospitalization, multiple scans and IV treatment, followed by painful fluid drainage while she was awake. Another craniotomy one month after her second operation also pushed back her chemotherapy, adding another difficult hurdle to an already demanding recovery.
The NFL player was also very supportive of his daughter. He and his daughter broke the news of her diagnosis on “Good Morning America.” The Blast reported that he penned down his love and support for Isabella on his Instagram page.
The New Dad Enjoys Fatherhood
Before welcoming his youngest daughter with Quick, Strahan was already a father of four. He shares Tanita and Michael Jr. with his first wife, Wanda Hutchins, and twins Isabella and Sophia with his second wife, Jean Muggli. Although the older children grew up in a different household from their younger sisters, Strahan has said the siblings became “very close” over the years.
Strahan has also spoken about making time for his children despite the distance. Tanita and Michael Jr. spent part of their childhood in Germany with their mother, but he remained determined to stay involved through frequent trips and phone calls. He previously explained that the experience taught him that people “make time for what you want to make time for.”
“My kids give me strength,” he said. “I love being with the kids. To me, it’s all about family, now more than anything,” Strahan shared with PEOPLE. Now, with his fifth child quietly welcomed earlier in 2026, Strahan’s family has entered another chapter. His children have continued to reach major milestones of their own, from Tanita becoming a mother to Isabella returning to life after cancer.
Michael Strahan Came Under Fire Over The National Anthem
Months after Isabella shared a health update, Strahan faced intense online criticism over his behavior during the national anthem. The incident happened during a Fox NFL Sunday broadcast on Veterans Day. Strahan did not place his hand over his chest during the anthem.
Many viewers considered the gesture “disrespectful” and accused him of failing to show appreciation for veterans. The backlash became so intense that some people called for Strahan to be canceled. Critics argued that he should have known better because of his background in the Army.
The criticism turned him into a target across the internet. A reporter later approached Strahan outside his home to get his response to the controversy. But the NFL player apparently did not appreciate being approached at his private residence and threw the reporter’s phone into a nearby bush.
Congratulations, Michael Strahan!