Getty Nene Leakes and Gregg Leakes
On September 1, 2021, former “Real Housewives of Atlanta” star NeNe Leakes’ husband, Gregg Leakes, passed away of colon cancer. Leakes was diagnosed with stage three colon cancer in 2018, but by September 2019, he was cancer-free. Sadly, in June 2021, Leakes revealed that her husband’s cancer had once again returned.
Shortly after this news broke, many of her former “Real Housewives of Atlanta” costars took to social media to share their condolences.
“Heartbroken,” Cynthia Bailey tweeted. “So many good times & so many amazing memories. Gregg was always so loving, funny & kind. So blessed to have had him in my life. Sending my heartfelt condolences to @NeNeLeakes and her family. Thinking of you & my heart and prayers are with you.”
Heartbroken💔
So many good times & so many amazing memories. Gregg was always so loving, funny & kind. So blessed to have had him in my life. Sending my heartfelt condolences to @NeNeLeakes and her family. Thinking of you & my heart and prayers are with you.🙏🏽❤️🙏🏽
Porsha Williams also showed her support for the Leakes family on her Instagram page. “Truly heartbreaking news,” Williams wrote. “Love and prayers for dear NeNe & the Leakes family. #Speechless. We love you Gregg.”
On Instagram, Kandi Burruss wrote, “My prayers go out to @neneleakes & her family. @greggleakes was an amazing man who always brought love & great energy to any room he walked into. I’m thankful for the great memories I have of him. Rest in peace Gregg.”
Former “Real Housewives of Atlanta” star Shereé Whitfield expressed her condolences on Twitter, writing, “My heart and prayers are with the Leakes family during their time of loss. Gregg Leakes was a kind and gentle soul and he will truly be missed by many. May the family find peace and comfort during this difficult time.”
Another former “Real Housewives of Atlanta” star, Kim Zolciak-Biermann, also wrote a heartfelt message to Leakes. “So heartbreaking,” Biermann wrote in an Instagram post. “I’m so sorry for this tragic loss @neneleakes. I am sending you and your entire family lots of love and prayers. Gregg was literally one of a kind. Never waivered amongst the drama…”
Leakes was a cast member of “The Real Housewives of Atlanta” during seasons one through seven, and then returned during seasons ten through twelve.
Leakes Said the Return of Her Husband’s Cancer Had Made Him ‘Different’
When Leakes revealed that her husband’s cancer had returned in June 2021, she explained that the disease had made him “different.”
“If you’ve ever been around somebody who’s had cancer before, he’s different,” Leakes shared about her husband during a July 2021 Instagram Live with The Jasmine Brand. “He’s different.”
At the time, Leakes also shared on the Instagram Live that her husband had undergone surgery. “He’s in the hospital,” Leakes said. He’s been in the hospital, tomorrow it’ll be a week, I’m sure he’ll be home in about a week or so. He had to have a surgery, [because] his cancer did return.”
Leakes continued, “He’s had this surgery before and he was in the hospital for about 15 days.”
Leakes Had Previously Said That He ‘Didn’t Fear Death’
During season 11 of “The Real Housewives of Atlanta” in 2018, Leakes opened up about his battle with cancer, sharing some emotional parts of his journey.
“I guess the scariest part about all of this is when we got to the hospital and the doctor saying that we need to do surgery on you tonight or you ain’t going to make it,” Leakes said during the season premiere, as noted by People at the time. “And so I went over and prayed to God and I told Him, ‘If it’s time, let’s go. I don’t fear death, I don’t want to go. If my work here is finished here, take care of them, let’s go.’”
During that episode, Leakes also revealed that he had written a note to his wife before surgery, in case he didn’t survive. “I wrote a note to my doctor and I told him to give it to you if I didn’t come out,” Leakes said. “Writing that note was the hardest thing I ever did in my life.”
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