Always in her heart. NeNe Leakes is paying tribute to her late husband, Gregg Leakes.
One day after his death, the reality star shared a throwback video of the couple dancing via Instagram. She captioned the sweet memory with multiple broken heart emojis.
A rep for the 53-year-old Real Housewives of Atlanta alum confirmed in a statement on Wednesday, September 1, that Gregg died at age 66 following his battle with stage III colon cancer.
“Today the Leakes family is in deep pain with a broken heart. After a long battle with cancer, Gregg Leakes has passed away peacefully in his home surrounded by all of his children, very close loved ones and wife Nene Leakes,” the publicist noted at the time. “We ask that you pray for peace and strength over their family & allow them to mourn in private during this very very difficult time.”
NeNe revealed in June that Gregg was once again fighting cancer after previously being given a clean bill of health in May 2019. He was initially diagnosed in June 2018.
“Honestly, it’s a really tough time. Like, it’s really hard, you know? I never knew that cancer could come into our lives and change it the way that it has. It’s been really hard for me, it really has,” the New Normal alum told Us exclusively in November 2018. “There are days where we have good days and Gregg has good days, then we have bad days and, you know, I feel alone, he feels alone. … I feel like the day they told me that he had cancer, I feel like I lost my husband.”
At the time, the former Glee star admitted that her husband’s health battle had “been like a roller-coaster” for their whole family. The couple welcomed son Brentt in 1999 and each have children from prior relationships.
Less than one week before news of his passing made headlines, NeNe told fans at the Linnethia Lounge in Duluth, Georgia, that Gregg’s health had taken a turn for the worse.
“My husband is transitioning to the other side,” she said in August after guests accused her of being rude for not interacting with them at the establishment. “You don’t know what we’re dealing with right now. … My husband is dying.”
The pair’s son shared an emotional message via social media on Tuesday, August 31, reminding his Instagram followers, “Spend time with your loved ones every chance you get.”
Brentt added at the time, “Time is so … valuable dog. I can’t express it. I’m learning the hard way watching my dad fight every day. Please go create memories with ya people.”
