Joe Amabile Has Successful Brain Surgery to Remove Tumor, Shares Update From Hospital Bed
The Bachelor in Paradise star’s procedure comes weeks after he first went public with an early-stage glioma diagnosis.
NEED TO KNOW
- Joe Amabile had surgery to remove an early-stage brain tumor and posted photos from his hospital bed to share the news.
- His wife, Serena Pitt, said doctors removed the tumor completely and that Amabile is recovering well.
- The couple first disclosed the diagnosis in July and have been documenting the experience publicly to encourage others to stay on top of their health.
Joe Amabile is on the mend after brain surgery.
The Bachelor in Paradise alum, better known to fans as “Grocery Store Joe,” posted photos from his hospital bed on Instagram this week, revealing that surgeons had successfully removed a tumor from his brain. The update came just weeks after he first shared that he’d been diagnosed with an early-stage glioma.
Amabile, 40, kept his caption brief and upbeat, letting fans know the outcome was as good as he could have hoped for.
His wife, Serena Pitt, 28, was by his side throughout the ordeal, and Amabile has repeatedly credited her with helping him get through it, calling her his steady support system during the process. Pitt followed up with her own update on Instagram Stories, sharing a photo of the couple holding hands and confirming that the medical team had gotten the entire tumor out. She added that they were feeling thankful for how things had gone.
Before heading into the operating room, Amabile told followers he was in good spirits and trying to stay positive as he prepared for the procedure. He also took a moment to thank fans for the outpouring of support he’d received since going public with his diagnosis.
How the Diagnosis Came About
The reality TV personality first revealed his diagnosis on July 13, telling followers that doctors had spotted a slow-growing, early-stage glioma during a full-body MRI scan. The scan was done through Prenuvo, a preventive imaging company that has drawn increased attention in recent years after several celebrities credited similar full-body scans with catching health issues before symptoms appeared.
Gliomas form in the brain or spinal cord when cells called glial cells which normally support and protect nerve cells grow abnormally. According to the American Association of Neurological Surgeons, they account for roughly a quarter of all primary brain tumors, and their severity can range widely depending on how aggressively they’re growing, which is why early detection through scans like Amabile’s often shapes treatment decisions.
Amabile and Pitt discussed the diagnosis in more detail on their podcast, Not Married to This, in a July 16 episode. Amabile explained that he opted for the craniotomy, a surgical procedure to open the skull and access the brain, because doctors warned the tumor had the potential to progress quickly if left alone.
He described trying to keep his mindset in check throughout the process, saying that lowering his stress and staying positive felt like the most useful thing he could do for his health at that stage, and that he felt fortunate the tumor had been caught early.
Pitt, for her part, said their doctors had given them a rough timeline for recovery a short hospital stay followed by a few weeks of healing before Amabile would be back to normal. She used the moment to encourage others to pay closer attention to their own health and not hesitate to ask questions or push for answers.
The couple, who tied the knot in 2023 after meeting on Bachelor in Paradise, have built a following for being unusually candid about their relationship and personal lives, and this latest chapter appears to be no exception. By choosing to document the diagnosis, surgery, and recovery in real time, they’ve turned a frightening personal experience into something that’s resonated with fans navigating their own health scares.
With the tumor now fully removed, Amabile’s focus shifts to recovery. Based on the timeline Pitt described, he’s expected to need several weeks before he’s back to full strength but for now, the couple appears relieved and grateful that the surgery went as well as it did.
