Isabella Strahan and football player Greg Brooks Jr. bond over brain tumor journey
When "Good Morning America" co-anchor Michael Strahan's daughter Isabella Strahan revealed on "GMA" in January that she had been diagnosed with medulloblastoma, a brain tumor, she said she found it difficult to find anyone on a similar journey, noting her type of cancer is very rare.
After sharing her story publicly, Strahan said in a new vlog episode she is now in touch with a college athlete battling the same type of cancer.
Strahan said that Greg Brooks Jr., a safety for the Louisiana State University Tigers football team, had a similar story to her own.
Strahan was diagnosed in the fall of 2023 after she started noticing symptoms and said Brooks experienced similar issues.
"He thought he had vertigo, just like me, so I thought our stories were so similar. And then he discovered it was not vertigo, and we're on, like, the same kind of treatment schedules," Strahan said.
According to the LSU roster, Brooks was diagnosed with a brain tumor in September 2023 after appearing in two games as a fifth-year senior. Brooks then missed the remaining 10 games of the season as he was treated at St. Jude Children's Hospital in Memphis, Tennessee. LSU players wore a No. 3 decal on their helmets and the number three was painted on the field at Tiger Stadium in his honor.
After learning about Brooks' journey, Strahan said she was "so inspired" and sent a message to him but didn't hear back. Strahan said she later saw a message from Brooks' grandmother and replied, and said they now all contact each other on a regular basis.
"[Brooks' grandmother] checks up on me everyday and [they're] just really sweet people," Strahan said. "We keep in touch like every day."
She added, "He's the one that I keep very close touch with and I can't wait to meet him in person one day."
As a show of support, in her vlog episode, Strahan and her family -- including her dad -- all wore "Pray for Greg Brooks" sweatshirts, featuring a collage of several of Brooks' photos.
Strahan said she and Brooks have both completed their second cycles of chemotherapy.
"We're making through it together … fight on!" Strahan said.
Strahan has been sharing her health journey and raising awareness about brain tumors on her YouTube video channel, which benefits Duke University's Preston Robert Tisch Brain Tumor Center, where she has been receiving treatment.
