Current:Home > FinanceMaria Menounos and Husband Keven Undergaro Welcome First Baby via Surrogate -RiskWatch
Maria Menounos and Husband Keven Undergaro Welcome First Baby via Surrogate
Charles Langston View
Date:2025-04-08 17:39:19
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! (54759)
Related
- The FBI should have done more to collect intelligence before the Capitol riot, watchdog finds
- MLB's best teams keep getting bounced early in October. Why is World Series so elusive?
- Burger King sweetens its create-your-own Whopper contest with a free burger
- 'They do not care': Ex-officer fights for answers in pregnant teen's death, searches for missing people of color
- The Daily Money: Spending more on holiday travel?
- Inter Miami star Jordi Alba might not play vs. Nashville SC in Champions Cup. Here's why.
- The Daily Money: Why are companies wary of hiring?
- Authorities now have 6 suspects in fatal beating of teen at Halloween party
- California DMV apologizes for license plate that some say mocks Oct. 7 attack on Israel
- NFL mock draft: Broncos, Eagles aim to fill holes left by Russell Wilson, Jason Kelce
Ranking
- Rolling Loud 2024: Lineup, how to stream the world's largest hip hop music festival
- For Kevin James, all roads lead back to stand-up
- A small earthquake and ‘Moodus Noises’ are nothing new for one Connecticut town
- Mississippi Supreme Court affirms a death row inmate’s convictions in the killings of 8 people
- Hackers hit Rhode Island benefits system in major cyberattack. Personal data could be released soon
- New Jersey sees spike in incidents of bias in 2023
- 17-year-old boy dies after going missing during swimming drills in the Gulf of Mexico
- Iowa House OKs bill to criminalize death of an “unborn person” despite IVF concerns
Recommendation
'No Good Deed': Who's the killer in the Netflix comedy? And will there be a Season 2?
New House bill would require TikTok divest from parent company ByteDance or risk U.S. ban
Feds investigating suspected smuggling at Wisconsin prison, 11 workers suspended in probe
Dave's Eras Jacket creates global Taylor Swift community as coat travels to 50+ shows
Taylor Swift Eras Archive site launches on singer's 35th birthday. What is it?
Oprah Winfrey to Host Special About Ozempic and Weight-Loss Drugs
Paul Simon to receive PEN America’s Literary Service Award
Dive into the Epic Swimsuit Sales at J.Crew, Swimsuits for All & More, with Savings up to 70% Off