In 2019, Michael Strahan suffered the first of two family tragedies in quick succession when he lost an older sister. Debra Diana Strahan, who was affectionately nicknamed Ms. Dee, died at the age of just 58, and an obituary published online suggested that she had been a pillar of her local community for decades.
In fact, as a member of the Church of Champions, Debra had dedicated much of her life to Jesus Christ since her early teenage years. The obituary read, “She had a real passion and a love for her family at all times. Debra was affectionate, energetic, kindhearted and she never met a stranger. She would give you the shirt off her back. No matter what may have been going on in her life, she always had a smile.”
The obituary mentioned Michael, ten years her junior, alongside their other siblings Sandra, Gene Jr., Christopher, and Victor, as well as their mother Louise and father Gene Sr. Interestingly, the former New York Giants defensive end has never spoken about his loss in public. The eulogy concluded, “Debra was full of life, love, joy, and happiness. She will always be in the memory of those who knew her or ever met her.”
