When Good Morning America arrived on Thursday, anchor Michael Strahan was missing from the desk.
His latest absence came days after Strahan shut down a co-anchor following fiery remarks over a GMA story. It also arrived just as his daughter shared a video of her ongoing recovery from a health scare.
DeMarco Morgan, one of several ABC anchors who have covered for Strahan during absences, was filling in on Thursday’s GMA for the former NFL star.
Strahan’s colleagues, Robin Roberts and George Stephanopolous, were alongside Morgan for the GMA episode.
Stephanopolous welcomed viewers and began introducing a preview of the show’s upcoming stories.
“Just three days until the big game in Las Vegas,” Roberts said once the crew appeared on camera again.
Strahan’s Fox colleague appeared on GMA
Early in the program, GMA showed a live look at the stadium where the San Francisco 49ers and Kansas City Chiefs will play on Super Bowl Sunday.
Roberts revealed that GMA’s Will Reeve was in Las Vegas covering the event. Reeve appeared later in the show with the latest updates from Vegas. Strahan wasn’t part of the segment.
Strahan’s NFL on Fox colleague, Rob Gronkowski, also appeared on the GMA episode to discuss Super Bowl 58. Gronkowski, known as “Gronk” by many from playing in the NFL, regularly appears on Fox’s NFL coverage alongside Strahan, Terry Bradshaw, Jimmy Johnson, and Howie Long.
He’s also won four Super Bowls while teamed up with the NFL’s legendary quarterback, Tom Brady.
On Thursday’s GMA, Gronk spoke with Roberts, Stephanopoulos, and Lara Spencer about the Kick of Destiny 2 promotion he’s involved in during the Super Bowl.
Gronk will appear in a segment during the Super Bowl ads and attempt to connect on a field goal try after missing the kick during last year’s event. After making predictions about the Super Bowl, he showed improved kicking skills.
While Roberts, Spencer, and Stephanopoulos discussed NFL topics and the Super Bowl with Gronk, Strahan wasn’t mentioned during the GMA segment.
Strahan misses GMA after an event with family
Strahan likely took time away from GMA because he was out late for a sports event and spent time with his loved ones.
The Pro Football Hall of Famer attended the Duke Blue Devils men’s basketball game with one of his twin daughters, Sophia Strahan.
A photo surfaced Thursday on Twitter from a fan who had captured a shot of Strahan and his daughter in the crowd. Not visible in the photo was Kayla Quick, Michael Strahan’s girlfriend, who also attended the game.
“Shoutout Michael Strahan for being at the Duke game tonight!” the tweet said.
Strahan’s daughter Sophia attends Duke University, and her dad often supports her school’s sports teams.
The GMA and NFL on Fox personality wore a light blue long-sleeve top with dark jeans. His daughter wore lighter-wash jeans, a dark jacket with the Duke logo, and blue and white Nike sneakers.
On Wednesday evening, they witnessed a significant Duke victory: the Blue Devils defeated the Notre Dame Fighting Irish, 71-53.
Strahan likely spent some time with his other twin daughter as she continues her recovery from a medical scare last year.
Strahan’s daughter Isabella shared an update about her recovery
Strahan and his family continue to support his other twin daughter, Isabella Strahan, who revealed her brain cancer tumor diagnosis on GMA last month.
Strahan sat alongside his daughter for Roberts’ initial GMA interview to present Isabella’s announcement and story.
Isabella’s tumor was removed by surgery, and she underwent recovery and rehabilitation efforts following that. She’s now started receiving chemotherapy treatments at Duke University Hospital in North Carolina.
Isabella created a YouTube vlog under her name to document her journey. Per her channel description, all proceeds will go to The Preston Robert Tisch Brain Tumor Center at Duke. The latest episode features her experience beginning chemotherapy and getting various medical tests.
Isabella recorded a video of herself in bed at the hospital and quickly showed that her mother, Jean Muggli, and her dad’s girlfriend, Kayla, were in the room with her.
During the video, Isabella admitted she’s not a fan of needles as she was getting an IV needle put into her arm. She then braved getting a second IV needle injection because they couldn’t locate a vein on the first attempt.
Later in the video, Isabella sat at a table at the hospital with her Aunt Cindy and played Gin Rummy with her before another medical test.
Isabella said she now has a “wire inside her chest” for a port, as well as the radioactive dye in her body. She mentioned her busy day would include having blood drawn, getting an EKG, and an MRI.
Toward the end of her vlog, Isabella enjoyed a meal at Waffle House with her Aunt Cindy, mother, and twin sister Sophia.
While Strahan was not with his family or ex-wife, he’s most likely continuing to provide as much support as possible for Isabella during her recovery process. GMA did not indicate whether he will return this week or next.