Inside My Surrogate Journey
After surviving a brain tumor and marrying her longtime partner, the TV personality wants to become a mom
The last few years have been a roller coaster for Maria Menounos. In February 2017, as her mom was battling stage 4 brain cancer, the former Extra host found out she had a brain tumor. (The benign mass was removed that June.) On New Year’s Eve, Maria, 40, and her longtime partner, producer Keven Undergaro, 50, wed on live TV, and on Oct. 6, they threw a formal celebration in Greece. Now, as the dust is starting to settle around her, the host of the Siriusxm radio show Conversations With Maria, who recently teamed up with the meal kit delivery service Home Chef, says she and Keven are finally ready to start a family, and they are going the surrogate route. “Keven was like, ‘I’m tired of dealing with everyone else’s kids, we need to make some of our own,’” says Maria, adding that she reached out to her good friend, Kim Kardashian, who welcomed daughter Chicago using a surrogate in January. “I said, ‘I’m going to need your help!’” Here, the Boston native talks to In Touch’s Jaclyn Roth about having kids, newlywed life and the guilty pleasure she’s totally “addicted” to. You’ve talked about doing IVF and having some embryos frozen. Why surrogacy? MM: I can’t carry [a child] on my own. So it’s something we’ll be dealing with very soon, which is exciting. Any idea how many kids you and Keven would like? MM: Sometimes Keven is like, “I want a team!” and other times it’s, “We could just do one.” We’re just going to take it as it comes. Tell us about your partnership with Home Chef. MM: Well, Keven thinks he’s married now! busier Chef pes are knot. MM: so take makes [ Has Laughs] delicious. and to 30 anything Giada it minutes, busier so We’ve easy. De changed? but just Laurentiis and The gotten Home they reciYou 20 years and Keven before were finally together tying the for It’s no been “Good getting like, It fun. feels morning, “This We out real wake is now, in official, husband” a buddy!” up weird and there’s way. and say, It’s MM: “Good How I’m and doing I’m are just morning, doing you focusing the feeling great, things wife.” these on thank that healing days? make God. me And MM: happy. She your is mom? doing incredible. How did the experience change you? MM: knew When I had I to got change diagnosed, and re- I evaluate to take better my priorities. care of myself. I needed So now seeing I’m friends, balancing traveling things and more, living in the moment. Where do you see yourself in 10 years? MM: I have no idea — and I never have! But I have faith I’ll be led exactly where I am supposed to be. ◼