Gregg Leakes, husband of 'Real Housewives' alum NeNe Leakes, dies of colon cancer

He was diagnosed with stage 3 colon cancer in 2018.

September 1, 2021, 6:09 PM

Gregg Leakes, the husband of "Real Housewives of Atlanta" alum NeNe Leakes, has died following a battle with colon cancer. He was 66.

"Today the Leakes family is in deep pain with a broken heart," a representative for the couple said in a statement. "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 statement concludes, "We ask that you pray for peace and strength over their family & allow them to mourn in private during this very very difficult time."

The news came days after the reality TV star, 53, told patrons at her Atlanta lounge that her husband "was transitioning to the other side."

Gregg Leakes was diagnosed with Stage 3 colon cancer in 2018, but it went into remission after treatment. In June, NeNe Leakes shared that the cancer had returned and that her husband had undergone surgery.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reports that colorectal cancer, sometimes called colon cancer, is the second-leading cause of death due to cancer in the United States. It is most often found in adults over 50 and African American people are at higher risk than those of other races, according to the Mayo Clinic.