Maria Menounos Mom Litsa Dies After Stage 4 Brain Cancer Battle
Six months after her advanced brain cancer diagnosis, Maria Menounos’ mom, Litsa Menounos, died on Sunday, May 2.
“RIP mom,” the “Better Together With Maria Menounos” podcast host, 42, captioned a black-and-white Instagram photo, alongside a heartbreak emoji. “God loved her so much he took her on greek easter.”
Many celebrities commented their condolences on the social media upload, from Zoe Saldana to Nikki Bella. “We send you so much love,” the Avatar star, also 42, wrote, while the E! personality, 37, added, “RIP. Sending you and the fam so much love light and prayers.”
Maria’s former E! News cohost Catt Sadler commented, “I know one thing for certain. Your mother knew the most extraordinary love there ever was to know because of you. Your devotion to her was unparalleled. She’s with other angels now. Sending all my love.”
Lisa was diagnosed with stage IV brain cancer in 2016 — and her daughter received a diagnosis of her own the following year.
“I was getting really frustrated because she wasn’t fighting and she was doing worse,” the EveryGirl’s Guide to Cooking author told Megyn Kelly in July 2017. “I just remember praying and just saying, ‘God, I wish you gave this to me because I have the fight and I have the will to beat this stuff. She doesn’t.’ And, uh, be careful what you wish for.”
The actress had a benign brain tumor, which was removed in a seven-hour surgery. Amid her recovery, Maria told Kelly, 50, that she wanted her mom to be “one of the longterm survivors.”
The entertainment reporter said, “I’m worried about her. Nobody ever wants to lose their mom. I pray this next MRI is good so that we can all just take a breath, and I have some time to not worry.”
In November 2020, the Dancing With the Stars alum revealed that Litsa and her husband, Constantino Menounos, had both been diagnosed with COVID-19 — and Litsa’s brain cancer had “advanced.”
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The Massachusetts native explained that Litsa’s “tumor was growing,” noting, “I’ve kept focusing on what my desired outcome and not what my fear was, and that helped me a lot. I think as it has extended and I’ve become more and more tired, you know, fear creeps back in. It has been an incredible challenge. You work so hard to keep your parents healthy and alive.”
The Emerson College grad told her mother to “hang on” amid her cancer battle as she and husband Keven Undergaro worked to grow their family.
“We are still in progress, not pregnant yet,” the former Extra host told Us Weekly in January. “That’s the plan, and we will share good news when we can.”
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