'She Made Us A FAMILY'

Baby joy! Following a decade of fertility struggles and health scares, an overjoyed Maria Menounos has welcomed her first child, Athena, with husband Keven Undergaro

- ANDREA SIMPSON & JAIME HARKIN

Maria Menounos will never forget what it was like to hold her baby girl for the first time. “It was the most special moment of my life,” recalls the 45-year-old star, who welcomed daughter Athena Alexandra on June 23 via surrogate alongside her husband, Keven Undergaro. “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.” Adds Undergaro: “It was like Christmas morning times a million.”

Menounos’ 10-year journey to motherhood has been a long and difficult one. Infertility issues led to IVF treatments, which were halted when the Heal Squad podcast host and former E! News anchor was diagnosed with a brain tumor in 2017; the tumor was removed, and she was given a clean bill of health, but her neurosurgeon advised her against carrying a child. When their first surrogate fell through in 2020, Menounos had all but given up hope — then she and 55-year-old Undergaro, the founder of AfterBuzz TV, announced they were expecting in February. “Athena is our miracle baby,” she says. “I’m so grateful for her.”

Congratulations! How does it feel to be a mom?

MM Better than I could’ve ever imagined. It’s euphoric. For so long, I’ve felt something’s been missing. I’d go to kids’ birthday parties, and I’d be a little sad because I wanted my own family. And now I feel so grounded, like I finally know where I belong.

What have the first few weeks been like at home with Athena?