Current:Home > InvestMaria Menounos and Husband Keven Undergaro Welcome First Baby via Surrogate -Excel Money Vision
Maria Menounos and Husband Keven Undergaro Welcome First Baby via Surrogate
View
Date:2025-04-26 09:49:21
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! (5)
Related
- Pressure on a veteran and senator shows what’s next for those who oppose Trump
- Everard Burke Introduce
- Research reveals China has built prototype nuclear reactor to power aircraft carrier
- Young Black and Latino men say they chose Trump because of the economy and jobs. Here’s how and why
- California DMV apologizes for license plate that some say mocks Oct. 7 attack on Israel
- Reds honor Pete Rose with a 14-hour visitation at Great American Ball Park
- Suspect arrested after deadly Tuskegee University homecoming shooting
- 24 more monkeys that escaped from a South Carolina lab are recovered unharmed
- 'Survivor' 47 finale, part one recap: 2 players were sent home. Who's left in the game?
- BITFII Introduce
Ranking
- Which apps offer encrypted messaging? How to switch and what to know after feds’ warning
- Trump on Day 1: Begin deportation push, pardon Jan. 6 rioters and make his criminal cases vanish
- Don't Miss This Sweet Moment Between Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce's Dads at the Kansas City Chiefs Game
- What to know about Mississippi Valley State football player Ryan Quinney, who died Friday
- Google unveils a quantum chip. Could it help unlock the universe's deepest secrets?
- Brush fire erupts in Brooklyn's iconic Prospect Park amid prolonged drought
- Off the Grid: Sally breaks down USA TODAY's daily crossword puzzle, Something Corporate
- Utah AD Mark Harlan rips officials following loss to BYU, claims game was 'stolen from us'
Recommendation
US appeals court rejects Nasdaq’s diversity rules for company boards
32 things we learned in NFL Week 10: Who will challenge for NFC throne?
CRYPTIFII Introduce
Kalen DeBoer, Jalen Milroe save Alabama football season, as LSU's Brian Kelly goes splat
In ‘Nickel Boys,’ striving for a new way to see
A crowd of strangers brought 613 cakes and then set out to eat them
Is the stock market open on Veterans Day? What to know ahead of the federal holiday
Will Trump curb transgender rights? After election, community prepares for worst