Bachelor in Paradise alum Joe Amabile is recovering after undergoing a craniotomy to remove a blueberry-sized tumor from his brain. The 40-year-old reality television star and former grocery store owner shared updates from his hospital room on Thursday with the caption, "They got it all!"
Amabile posted photos showing himself lying back in his hospital bed with a bandaged head while brandishing a happy grin. Another image showed him lounging in a chair and giving the peace sign.
The photo slideshow also included a box of cupcakes for sweet levity and a close-up picture of his 28-year-old wife, Serena Pitt, holding his hand.
Pitt shared the news on her Instagram Stories simultaneously. "The best update: they were able to remove the entire tumor," Pitt wrote. "Joe is recovering really well. We're feeling so grateful."
Amabile first revealed in early July that an MRI scan uncovered an early-stage brain tumor. The lesion was initially found during a Prenuvo full-body scan earlier this summer before further imaging confirmed the diagnosis.
Tumor Discovery and Diagnosis
"I didn’t share my Prenuvo results because they ended up finding a lesion on my brain, so then I had to go get a brain MRI and there was a blueberry size lesion in my brain that looks to be a glioma, which is a tumor," Amabile said at the time.
"So I now need to get brain surgery to get it removed and get it tested, and then we’re gonna go from there. So it’s been a wild couple weeks. Definitely wasn’t expecting this," he continued. "I think it’s one of those things where you’re like, 'Oh, something like this [will] never happen to me,' and here I am."
"They say it’s really early stages. I hope they are able to get it all, and I’m fine. But I will keep you updated," he added.
The Not Married To This podcast co-host explained his decision to speak publicly about his medical condition on social media. "I’m doing my best to stay positive during this time and am lucky to have a lot of support from family and friends," Amabile said. "I’ve gone back and forth about what I wanted to share on social media but ultimately this is now part of my life, so might as well. Onto a new journey."
Surgery Preparation and Recovery Tips
About a week before the procedure, Pitt posted a video message and caption on Instagram asking followers who had experience with brain surgery for recovery recommendations and must-have items.
"It’s hard to believe we’re only about a week away from Joe’s surgery. I’m in full prep mode, trying to think of everything that might make his recovery as comfortable as possible and help us feel a little more prepared for the weeks ahead," Pitt wrote. "If you’ve been through brain surgery yourself or cared for someone who has, I’d be so grateful for any recommendations, must-have recovery items, or things that made the recovery process a little easier."
Pitt explained that her preparations included purchasing pajamas, a pillow for the hospital stay, Tylenol, and specialized shampoo and conditioner safe for use around her husband's surgical wound.
Relationship History and Wedding Details
Amabile first joined the cast of Bachelor in Paradise for season five in 2018 after being eliminated from The Bachelorette starring Becca Kufrin. He returned to the show for season seven in 2021, where he met and fell in love with Pitt.
The couple got engaged during the season seven finale and married in an intimate courthouse ceremony in New York in October 2022. They held a larger celebration in Charleston, South Carolina, in September 2023.
"We wanted to pick a fun weekend getaway city that was accessible to most of our family and friends and had a venue we loved!" Pitt told People at the time. "Charleston is so beautiful and the minute we visited the city and The Cedar Room we could instantly envision our wedding there. We have no prior ties to Charleston but are so excited to create special memories there! [We] wanted the weekend to feel like a big celebration [for] everyone we love."
The couple's friend and fellow television star Wells Adams officiated the Charleston ceremony. Pitt walked down the aisle in a gown designed by Robert Bullock to Adele's song Make You Feel My Love.
Guests were served mini espresso martinis and food featuring a Southern flair, along with access to a dessert bar. The newlyweds shared their first dance to Take My Heart by The Teskey Brothers, after which Pitt changed into a second dress designed by Eisen Stein for the reception.
