Good Morning America co-host Michael Strahan went mysteriously missing from the daytime talk show last week before news finally broke that he was out of the studio due to a positive COVID-19 test. Strahan returned to GMA this week with a message for viewers, although he appeared via video recording rather than alongside fellow hosts T.J. Holmes, Robin Roberts, and George Stephanopoulos, the latter of whom actually tested positive for COVID himself back in 2020. Strahan's message was optimistic and, more than anything else, thankful.
Michael Strahan didn't appear live on Good Morning America, but the recorded message he sent in seemed to show the former NFL star in as good of spirits as could be expected. Strahan said:
Just wanted to say thank you to everybody for your well-wishes and thank you for everyone who reached out and sent me the get well wishes, all the advice on how to feel better. And I just wanted to let you know that I do feel a lot better, and I’m just thankful to be on the side of it that I am. And I’m doing well. Just trying to rest as much as I can, trying to hydrate as much as I can, trying to get my strength back so I can get back to work as soon as possible. I miss you guys. I miss work. For my own sanity, I gotta get out of this house, but all the protocols, you gotta follow them. So I have been quarantining and just trying to do everything that I can to get healthy so I can get back. So I just want to thank everybody out there, you guys don’t know how much it means to me to know how many people care about me and my health, so I really really am very thankful and grateful for you, for every one of you.
Michael Strahan has evidently received a lot of well-wishes from fans while he has been out from Good Morning America to recover from COVID. He didn't say whether or not he followed all the advice he received for how he could feel better, but whatever he has done since his positive test, it seems to have worked to the point that he's feeling much better. In fact, he's clearly anxious to get back to work.
Not all celebrities have been so lucky in dealing with their own cases of COVID-19, with family members and even stars themselves speaking out about the effects of the illness. For all that Michael Strahan is grateful to everybody for wishing him well, he also delivered some warnings and advice of his own when it comes to people protecting themselves from the pandemic. Strahan went on in his message, saying:
And I just want to say, make sure you take care of yourself. Wear your mask. Wash your hands. Use your wipes. I did all those things but it just goes to show me that it takes more than just you as an individual. Everybody has to do it so that we help out each other, because more than just about you. It’s about the people you’re around and the fellow human beings. So protect yourself and by doing that you’re gonna protect others.
According to Michael Strahan, he contracted COVID-19 despite taking all the recommended precautions. Using the Good Morning America platform to spread a message about following the protocols while he's still in quarantine means he could reach a large audience. While he faced some ups and downs on daytime television over the years before landing his current spot on Good Morning America, he seems to have found a good place for himself on the show.
Michael Strahan didn't deliver a date for when Good Morning America viewers can expect to see him back in the studio with the other co-hosts, but perhaps he'll be able to contribute more remotely since he's hoping to get back to work. What is certain is that he's grateful for all the support that he has received while recovering from the illness. Take a look at Strahan's full message for yourself below:
Good Morning America will carry on even in Michael Strahan's absence, with new broadcasts airing daily on ABC at 7 a.m. ET. If you'd rather say "good morning" to America later in the day than bright and early at 7 a.m. and enjoy some primetime TV, our 2021 winter and spring premiere schedule can help you out.
