Experiencing the loss of a loved one has never been an easy emotion to process. However, NeNe Leakes has been taking things in stride and has shown her resilience following the death of her husband, Gregg Leakes.
In an exclusive interview with Extra, she recently opened up about her grieving process and how she has come to terms with her husband’s death. She also disclosed how she has been finding happiness following his death.
Read on for more details.
NeNe Leakes: ‘Happiness Comes From Within’
NeNe had an interview with Extra‘s Rachel Lindsay on the set of new reality series, “College Hill: Celebrity Edition. She shared how she has been trying to find love and happiness after Greg’s death.
Although she is seeing someone new, she disclosed that most of her happiness comes from within.
“I can not say he has not helped me put a smile on my face… You have to be willing to be happy, and you have to make a lot of changes within yourself.”
In 2021, she had previously shared on her Instagram how she was coping with the loss, adding that while it was hard to do, she was still pushing through.
“I am pushing through,” she added. “I have good days and bad days. They said it’s normal. So, some days I’m up. Some days I’m down. Today I felt like going to the salon. So that was good.”
She continued, “I have a whole group of people that are coming to my house every day doing different stuff with me, trying to keep my mind off of … you know, [the] events that recently happened.”
The “Real Housewives Of Atlanta” alum also shared changing her hair color from dark to blonde.
“I played with dark hair long enough. Now that I am adjusting to my new life, my new normal, I thought I would go back to blonde.”
Gregg Died From Colon Cancer At Age 66
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Gregg died last year after a long-standing battle with stage 3 colon cancer. UsWeekly obtained this information from a publicist of the Bravo network.
“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. We ask that you pray for peace and strength over their family & allow them to mourn in private during this very, very difficult time.”
He was initially diagnosed in 2018 and was briefly in remission before NeNe announced that he was sick again.
His health journey was tough on NeNe. In fact, she called it “a rollercoaster.”
“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 he had cancer, I lost my husband.”
She continued, “Honestly, it’s a really tough time. Like, it is hard, you know? I never knew that cancer could come into our lives and change them the way it has. It has been hard for me. It has.”
NeNe Has Recently Started To See Someone Else
The “Glee” star shared that she was dating again. She was spotted with her new boyfriend, Nyonisela Sioh, in a Miami restaurant. She also made their relationship Instagram official after posting pictures of both linked arm-in-arm at her surprise birthday party.
This news comes three months after the death of her husband. However, she disclosed that her husband gave her his blessings to move on before his demise.
She was also adamant about loving Gregg eternally despite his demise.
“I will love Gregg forever & ever! Grieving is hard! Even harder & depressing alone,” NeNe shared, per E!News. “Gregg and I had a very tearful conversation before his passing. His words to me were, ‘be happy, keep smiling, and he who finds you has found a good one.'”
About NeNe’s New Reality Series
Her new reality series, “College Hill: Celebrity Edition,” features high-profile celebrities such as DreamDoll, Ray J, Stacey Dash, India Love, and Lamar Odom, who live together and join historically black universities as university students. Her new man, Sioh, would also feature in the series.
“The one thing I was interested in was I went to an HBCU. I love Houston, so I said, ‘Let us go back and see what’s happening.’ I wasn’t super excited about moving into a house with many celebrities because I never lived with celebrities before, and I know celebrities are divas.”
She shared the most challenging part between living at home with everyone or returning to school. “Going back to school. We sit in class with young college students, so they know everything. We don’t know anything.”
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