Maria Menounos addressed recent family health challenges Monday on her “Better Together” podcast, revealing both of her parents are hospitalized with COVID-19.
At the beginning of the episode, Menounos — who had asked for prayers in a tweet late last month — opened up about what has been a “rough and challenging 13 days,” which also included news of mom Litsa’s brain tumor growing.
“Monday before Thanksgiving, my mom had her regular appointments at Cedars for her brain cancer. So she had her MRI, she had her infusions,” the 42-year-old host explained. “But we got some not-so-great news on Monday, I think that’s Nov. 23, that my mom’s brain tumor was growing.”
In 2016, Menounos confirmed her mother had a brain tumor. The podcast host herself was diagnosed with a brain tumor a year later, as her mom battled stage 4 brain cancer.
On Tuesday, Nov. 24, her family’s caretaker had called in sick, prompting Menounos to fly to Los Angeles to assist with husband Kevin Undergaro.
“We land, and that’s when this all started. I’m just going to share that we’re still in process right now, and we still need as many prayers as you can spare and as you can share. But a long story short of it all is within a few hours both of my parents were diagnosed with COVID,” Menounos explained.
“First it was my mom, they had rushed her to the hospital when I landed and I found out and then a few hours later my dad tested positive,” she continued. “It was absolutely surreal.”
Menounos also confirmed Monday that both of her parents are at separate hospitals in Los Angeles.
“It has been an incredible challenge,” an emotional Menounos said. “You work so hard to keep your parents healthy and alive, I mean at least I have. To see something like this happen.”
Menounos added how grateful she is for her support system and medical personnel amid this harrowing ordeal.
“Luckily, we’ve had incredible doctors, incredible nurses, incredible friends, and incredible family, that have lifted up and helped us in this time,” she said.