Imagine hitting the pause button on your freshman year at USC—not for a gap year in Europe, but to face down a brain tumor. That’s exactly what happened with Michael Strahan’s daughter, Isabella Strahan. Diagnosed with medulloblastoma (a malignant brain tumor) in October 2023, she swapped dorm life for hospital rooms, tackling surgeries, radiation, and chemo.

Fast forward to now, and Isabella’s not just back at USC; she’s sharing her journey and growth on social media after a tough cancer fight. Just at the beginning of this month, Isabella admitted how amazing she’s feeling after returning to USC. And now? Well, she’s out there enjoying every small moment of her life, whether it’s enjoying in college dormitories or having a coffee at an outdoor café.

On Sunday, 20-year-old Isabella took to her official Instagram handle and shared a glimpse of her post-cancer life in her IG story. “Hi @isabellastrahan,” she captioned. Yeah, that’s it, and no more context. Because let’s be real—her picture is enough to define her growth and surrounding vibes if we’re being real.

Sitting at an outdoor café—rocking a cozy beige sweater and minimal gold jewelry serving an effortless glowing-up energy of Isabella. And her hair? Well, she opened up about her concerns that she wasn’t happy about shaving her head during the cancer treatment. “It’s definitely sad because … I didn’t really cut my hair [before],” she said earlier. Isabella said goodbye to her hair, which had started thinning due to intense radiation therapy, during a 4 a.m. FaceTime call with her twin.

And now those sunglasses perched on her curls giving an energy as if she just walked out of a Pinterest board. After all, Isabella Strahan is now a cancer survivor. And that smile? Pure Piece that literally screams just one thing—she’s back, and she’s thriving.

Because let’s be real—the last few months were definitely the toughest phase of not just Isabella’s life but for Michael Strahan and his family as well. Before she even found out about her diagnosis, Isabella knew something was wrong—her inability to walk a straight line, vertigo-like symptoms, nausea, and throwing up blood. It was her twin sister, Sophia, who later forced her to visit the doctor. Her doctor’s prognosis?

“She was actually in danger of having a seizure, having a stroke, and potentially dying.” Yeah, that’s what Dr. Michelle Israel, an internal medicine specialist and one of Isabella’s doctors, said. And when Michael Strahan found out that his daughter required an immediate surgery, he didn’t wait for a moment and notified Isabella of her surgery. That too, a day before her birthday.

Fast forward to now and after intense chemotherapy, radiation, and multiple brain surgeries over the course of several months, Isabella is now back at USC.

Michael Strahan’s daughter denies every false claim about her college life

After beating the cancer a few months ago, Isabella Strahan shared the best news of her post-cancer life. “Back at USC,” she captioned one of her IG posts while standing next to her parents. Besides, on March 1, Isabella appeared on Beyond the Battlefront with Noor Hassan, where she talked about her return to USC. Hassan, who is also a cancer survivor, was diagnosed with stage 4 Wilms’ tumor, a rare cancer of the kidney (12 years ago).

After beating the cancer, Hassan founded Cancer Echoes and is the captain of the Cycle for Survival team Noor’s Army. No wonder Isabella chose the perfect platform to talk about her post-cancer struggles. When Hassan asked about the changes she faced after returning to USC, Isabella stated, “It’s definitely interesting like now being back at school. Seeing all the friend groups that formed when I wasn’t there. But honestly, it’s an adjustment because, of course, I was gone for most of the year. I know a lot of people and a lot of people have met me. But we’re not superclose, and that’s hardest part. Just kind of just kind of disappearing.” 

Now, let’s be real—Isabella knew her college friends for just a couple of weeks. Sure, her friends were there for her while visiting the hospital during her treatment or while supporting her after she beat the cancer. However, we just can’t deny the fact that she’s adjusting, given she’s returning after a year.

On the other side, the 20-year-old also addressed the rumors she heard about her dropping out of the school to pursue modelling. Well, that’s kinda absurd thing for someone to hear who’s battling a brain tumor. However, she declined all those false claims during her chat with Noor Hassan on Beyond the Battlement podcast.

“I heard the other day that there were rumors that I dropped out of school to pursue modeling. “I was like, ‘No, I didn’t!’” she further added. “So, there’s stuff going around that I dropped out of school… I kind of found that funny that people are making that up. That’s crazy. Yeah, so it’s an interesting dynamic to be back.” Though she’s definitely not pursuing modelling, Isabella is now back at USC to pursue a major in communications.

Her dad, Michael Strahan, surely knows a thing or two about being in front of the camera, and now the way things are shaping up, it looks like we’re going to see Isabella stepping into her father’s footsteps.