‘RHOA’ Star NeNe Leakes Reveals Husband Gregg Leakes Is Battling Stage 3 Colon Cancer

Real Housewives of Atlanta star NeNe Leakes had previously revealed that her husband, Gregg Leakes, is battling cancer, and NeNe shared on the Season 11 premiere of RHOA on Sunday night that Gregg is fighting stage three colon cancer.

NeNe revealed that Gregg had begun experiencing “excruciating pain” in May on Cinco de Mayo. He was hospitalized, and the couple then learned his diagnosis.

“We just weren’t prepared to hear that,” NeNe said.

Gregg explained, “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.”

He added that while the diagnosis was difficult to hear, he was ready to go if it was his time to do so.

“I went over and prayed to God and I told Him, ‘If it’s time, let’s go,’” Gregg said. “‘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.’”

In a prayer circle with family and friends, Gregg told his wife that he had also written her a letter should the time come when she would need to read it.

“I wrote a note to my doctor and I told him to give it to you if I didn’t come out,” he told NeNe. “Writing that note was the hardest thing I ever did in my life.”

NeNe had updated her followers on Gregg’s surgery back in September, though she did not disclose the procedure at the time.

“My hunni is having what we hope and pray is his last surgery towards a full recovery today!” she wrote on Instagram alongside a photo of folded hands. “It will be a long surgery so we are asking you to pray for the surgeon’s hands, pray for Gregg’s comfort please! Prayers, strength, peace and kindness for myself, his children and family during this time! Amen (come on pray warriors).”

During Sunday’s premiere, she opened up about staying strong amid her husband’s health battle.

“It’s a very hard role to take care of someone,” she said. “I feel like if I crumble, then Gregg and Brentt is going to be over. I just feel like I have to be the strong voice.”

The 50-year-old added, “I’ve put on a brave face but I have my moments in my bedroom, usually alone. I’ve had many moments in my car. If my car could talk it’d be like, ‘This b— cries too much.’”

While it’s possible Gregg’s cancer could return, NeNe is thankful he was diagnosed when he was.

“There’s a chance the cancer could come back, but thank God that he caught it when he did catch it,” she said. “He could not be here.”

NeNe first notified fans of her husband’s health battle in June, sharing the news in a social media post.

The reality star shared an image of her husband sitting in a chair with his arms crossed, a computer screen next to him featuring the word “Cancer” with a red line through it.

“Our New Normal and the fight begins #mdandersoncancercenter #yougotthis#iloveyou,” she captioned the post.

Photo Credit: Getty / Paul Marotta