How did Jay Harris and wife Stephanie Prigmore meet? Relationship explored amid ESPN anchor’s cancer diagnosis

Longtime ESPN anchor Jay Harris has revealed that he has been battling prostate cancer. He announced an appearance on Good Morning America on June 5, 2025, according to a report in Today. He stated that he would undergo surgery to remove his prostate and would take time off from SportsCenter, which he has been anchoring since 2003.

While speaking to Michael Strahan on GMA, Harris was ‘optimistic’ about his surgery and shared that his dad had cancer, along with other family members. He mentioned receiving immense support from his colleagues, including anchors Hannah Storm and Brian Custer.

According to a report from E! News, Jay Harris has two adult children with his wife, Stephanie Harris—a son named Bryce and a daughter named Tyra. He currently lives in Connecticut with his family. Harris met his wife at a Labor Day fraternity dance at the Webb Student Centre, and they have been together ever since.

Here’s everything about their relationship.

How was the relationship between Jay Harris and his wife Stephanie Harris?

Jay Harris has cultivated a close-knit and loving relationship with his wife, Stephanie Harris, formerly known as Stephanie Prigmore before marrying the ESPN anchor.

According to the official website of Old Dominion University, their love story began at Old Dominion University, where they first met at a fraternity dance. However, it took some time for them to start dating because Stephanie was in a relationship at that time, and Harris was recovering from a tough breakup.

While she had recently transferred from Virginia Union and was a student, Jay was an ODU graduate living in Washington D.C. Once they began dating, they quickly realized their connection was lifelong. They got married a few years later.

She became a full-time mom, giving up her job as a bank manager when their son, Bryce, was born. She nearly died in childbirth and later chose to adopt their daughter, Tyra. Nancy Lieberman, a former ODU All-American women's basketball player, said:

“Family, it means everything to Jay. He adores his wife and children. They've been through a lot together.”

Jay Harris’s parents divorced when he was a child, and he was raised in North Carolina by his mother, Ola Harris. His father, Al, was a philanthropist and also helped his neighbors repair houses. Meanwhile, Stephanie’s parents, Barry and Regina Pigmore, lived in Virginia Beach. Harris has often credited his wife with being instrumental in key decisions, including his move to ESPN.

Jay Harris shared that he turned down job offers from ESPN twice, and if it hadn’t been for Stephanie, he wouldn’t have his job at ESPN. He explained how she listed the pros and cons of leaving a Pittsburgh TV station and moving to Connecticut to pursue sportscasting. He said:

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"She looked at me with that look that men get when they're about to mess up, but they don't know it, but their wife or significant other does. Once she put it all down on paper, it was a no-brainer."

Jay harris initially pursued a career in music with his high school friends in a band called After Six. Eventually, he secured a position as a broadcast news reporter. He worked for the Sheridan Broadcasting Network and Sheridan radio station before applying to WPXI-TV, a 24-hour news station. In 2003, he joined ESPN and built a reputation for himself over the years.

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