Current:Home > ScamsMaria Menounos and Husband Keven Undergaro Welcome First Baby via Surrogate -WealthRoots Academy
Maria Menounos and Husband Keven Undergaro Welcome First Baby via Surrogate
Chainkeen View
Date:2025-04-10 15:53:26
Maria Menounos and her new family of three are better together.
The TV host and husband Keven Undergaro shared that they welcomed their first child together, a baby girl named Athena Alexandra, via surrogate on June 23.
"It was the most special moment of my life," Maria told Us Weekly July 19. "The doctor literally grabbed her and hiked her onto me. I sat with her on my chest, and Keven and I kept looking at each other like, 'Oh, my God.' It was just pure joy."
Their sweet news comes five months after the couple—who tied the knot in 2017—announced they were expecting their first child together via surrogate.
"We are so grateful to everyone who helped make this beautiful blessing happen," the Better Together author told E! News in a Feb. 7 statement. "I am so excited to be a mom and Keven is so excited to be a dad! And my dad is over the moon to be a papou."
At the time, Maria also gave a nod to her late mom, Litsa Menounos, who passed away in May 2021 after a battle with brain cancer.
"I know my mom had a cup of greek coffee with god and said it's time," she captioned an Instagram post, in part, alongside a clip of her sharing her baby news. "So grateful for the blessing in our lives. Cant believe I'm sharing this news without her in the physical , but I know she made it happen on the other side and is going to be with me every step of the way. Thank you all for your love! We are just so grateful!"
Back in April the couple shared the sex of their baby, with Maria noting on her Heal Squad x Maria Menounos podcast, "We're very excited to announce we have a baby girl coming."
She also revealed that she and Keven, 55, have their baby's name chosen—but added that they're keeping it under wraps for now.
"We've been thinking about names for years, because as you may or may not know, this has been almost a 10-year journey for us," Maria explained. "We've thought about names forever, and I think we've come up with the perfect name for this baby."
However, over the past almost-decade it hasn't been an easy journey, as Maria has been vocal about various health scares along the way. This includes a private battle with Stage 2 pancreatic cancer earlier this year, which required undergoing surgery to remove a 3.9-inch tumor along with part of her pancreas, her spleen, a large fibroid and 17 lymph nodes.
"This whole year has been trauma, stress, crisis," she told People May 3. "I had that moment where I thought I was a goner—but I'm okay because I caught this early enough."
The former E! News correspondent, who previously had a benign brain tumor removed in 2017, pointed out the painful timing of her diagnosis.
"I'm like 'How in the freaking world can I have a brain tumor and pancreatic cancer?'" Maria said. "All I could think was that I have a baby coming."
But throughout it all, she's had her husband and dad Constantinos to lean on.
"I'm so grateful and so lucky," Maria expressed. "God granted me a miracle. I'm going to appreciate having her in my life so much more than I would have before this journey."
For the latest breaking news updates, click here to download the E! News AppveryGood! (7)
Related
- Newly elected West Virginia lawmaker arrested and accused of making terroristic threats
- Auto Industry Pins Hopes on Fleets to Charge America’s Electric Car Market
- Big Three Automaker Gives Cellulosic Ethanol Industry a Needed Lift
- 2018’s Hemispheric Heat Wave Wasn’t Possible Without Climate Change, Scientists Say
- 'Malcolm in the Middle’ to return with new episodes featuring Frankie Muniz
- A roadblock to life-saving addiction treatment is gone. Now what?
- To safeguard healthy twin in utero, she had to 'escape' Texas for abortion procedure
- The impact of the Ukraine war on food supplies: 'It could have been so much worse'
- Behind on your annual reading goal? Books under 200 pages to read before 2024 ends
- How the EPA assesses health risks after the Ohio train derailment
Ranking
- Chuck Scarborough signs off: Hoda Kotb, Al Roker tribute legendary New York anchor
- California Moves to Avoid Europe’s Perils in Encouraging Green Power
- Get Your Wallets Ready for Angelina Jolie's Next Venture
- Pandemic food assistance that held back hunger comes to an end
- Taylor Swift makes surprise visit to Kansas City children’s hospital
- Auto Industry Pins Hopes on Fleets to Charge America’s Electric Car Market
- Greenpeace Activists Avoid Felony Charges Following a Protest Near Houston’s Oil Port
- Despite Pledges, Birmingham Lags on Efficiency, Renewables, Sustainability
Recommendation
IRS recovers $4.7 billion in back taxes and braces for cuts with Trump and GOP in power
High inflation and housing costs force Americans to delay needed health care
These students raised hundreds of thousands to make their playground accessible
Have you tried to get an abortion since Roe v. Wade was overturned? Share your story
The Daily Money: Spending more on holiday travel?
Trump’s EPA Fast-Tracks a Controversial Rule That Would Restrict the Use of Health Science
Can Obama’s Plan to Green the Nation’s Federal Buildings Deliver?
Clues to Bronze Age cranial surgery revealed in ancient bones