Bachelor Star Had ‘No Symptoms’ Before Brain Tumor Diagnosis

Joe Amabile, the Bachelorette alum who had a brain tumor removed at 40, has shared new details about his “rollercoaster” health journey in an exclusive interview with The Daily Mail.

Amabile underwent a craniotomy in September, just months after a full-body scan detected a “blueberry-sized” lesion on his brain.

The operation was successful, and Amabile announced “They got it all!” in photos taken from his hospital room.

He is now focused on his recovery while preparing to run the New York City Marathon.

In an exclusive interview with The Daily Mail, Amabile, 40, discussed his diagnosis, recovery and the role his wife, 28-year-old Serena Pitt, played in encouraging him to undergo the scan that uncovered his early-stage glioma.

Amabile had experienced no symptoms and only learned about the lesion after following his wife’s recommendation to have a full-body MRI scan.

“No symptoms,” he told The Daily Mail. “We were doing a Prenuvo scan, full body scan, just to, like, ‘Why not?’ type of thing.”

“I didn’t even want to do it at first, and Serena talked me into it. And I was like, I just turned 40, I should check,” he said. “It’s been a rollercoaster ever since.”

After receiving the diagnosis, Amabile said he was determined to preserve his “positive outlook” despite the frightening news.

“We were obviously scared and very worried,” he said. “I’m someone that has a positive outlook in life, and I wasn’t going to let this change that.”

“There’s so much that is out of your control, but I just kept hoping that hopefully, we hear good news, type of thing. And yeah, so far I think it’s been all right.”

The immediate aftermath of the surgery was “rough.” Amabile took pain medication after the procedure and continues to experience sensitivity to light.

Even so, he said his condition has improved steadily. “I’m getting better and better every day,” he said. “I’m still technically in recovery, and I will be till, I think, the end of the year.”

As part of his post-operative care, Amabile takes daily medication and plans to undergo regular MRI scans.

“The way my tumor works is, they did get the whole thing, and he got extra. But there are usually cells, because it was cancer, there are usually cells left over,” he said. “So I have to get MRIs every three months for the first year, and then I’m on a medication that I take daily that is an IDH inhibitor that puts whatever cells are still there to sleep, locks them up, and hopefully I never have to worry about it again.”

When asked whether he is considered to be in remission, Amabile said, “Honestly, they’ve never said that to me.”

“I know that my first MRI, my first MRI back, is at the end of November, so I think if that’s a clean MRI, then I should be. I don’t know if they consider it remission or not.”

Shortly after the surgery, Amabile celebrated his wedding anniversary with Pitt – an occasion that served as a double milestone, marking the first time he had been out to eat since the surgery.  

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‘We went to The Grill in Manhattan, and that was the first time I went out to a restaurant,’ he said. ‘That was fun to do.’

Now Amabile is training for the New York City marathon, albeit at a gentler pace.

‘It was really important for me to set a goal. When you’re having brain surgery, there’s just so much out of your control. 

‘So it was nice to set a goal that I have control over. The way I train has changed. I trained way, way differently last year,’ he said. 

‘I’m still training, it’s just less, and it’s more resting and more mobility work and stretching.’

Amabile has now partnered with Northwestern Mutual and is grateful that he had his finances ‘in order’ prior to the medical emergency. 

‘We’re pretty good with our finances,’ he said. ‘We’ve had things in order and, you know, thankfully I did, because if I didn’t, that would just be another stressor to add to my plate that I don’t need, ’cause stress will kill you.’

The reality star teamed up with the mutual financial services company for an event at Grand Central Terminal on Tuesday, where they offered people the chance to reflect on goals. 

‘We’re at Grand Central Terminal, and it’s really just about people writing down a goal,’ he said. 

‘Like I know, unexpected things can happen in life,’ he said. ‘That can change your path, but it doesn’t necessarily have to change your goal.’

‘What Northwestern Mutual does so well is they have their financial planners or their experts that guide you along the way. Financing could be… intimidating and scary for a lot of people. So having help and guidance is so important.’ 

Amabile has been married to Pitt since 2022, who he met on Bachelor in Paradise in 2021.

Pitt commented: ‘You’re so strong and we’re going to get through this together. I love you.’

Amabile first came into the spotlight when he was one of the eligible bachelors vying for Becca Kufrin on The Bachelorette Season 14 in 2018.

He was eliminated on the first night but his affable personality saw him dubbed ‘Grocery store Joe’ and saw him parlay his fame into an appearance on Dancing With the Stars.

Less than a month after the surgery, Pitt reaffirmed her commitment to stay by her husband’s side through ‘sickness and in health’ with a tender anniversary post. 

‘In sickness and in health my love…and everything in between! Even after going through one of our most challenging chapters, life keeps getting fuller and brighter with you,’ she posted. ‘I truly can’t imagine falling more in love with you, yet somehow I do every single year.’