Tylo was born in Detroit, Michigan, the son of Edward Tylo, a plumber, and his wife, Margaret. He has three children with his ex-wife Hunter Tylo: son Michael Edward Tylo II (April 24, 1988 - October 18, 2007), and daughters Izabella Gabrielle (November 12, 1996) and Katya Ariel (January 15, 1998), as well as a stepson Christopher "Chris" Morehart (January 22, 1980), from Hunter Tylo's first marriage to Tom Morehart.