In a heartbreaking and deeply personal revelation, Real Housewives of Atlanta alum NeNe Leakes has opened up about the final moments she shared with her late husband Gregg Leakes, sharing the last message he ever spoke to her before passing away from colon cancer in 2021. The emotional confession, made during a recent podcast appearance, left fans visibly shaken and sparked an outpouring of grief and support across social media as many struggled to hold back tears. “He looked at me and said, ‘You were always my home,’” NeNe revealed through a trembling voice. “And that was the last thing he ever said to me. I carry those words every single day.”
The Bravo icon, known for her fierce personality and no-nonsense attitude, was visibly vulnerable as she recounted Gregg’s final hours and the quiet moment of intimacy that has stayed with her long after his passing. “He wasn’t just my husband,” she said. “He was my protector, my best friend, the only person who saw all of me and still loved me completely.” NeNe admitted that although she had remained strong publicly, the emotional toll of watching Gregg battle cancer had left her “fractured in ways she didn’t know how to describe.” She added, “People saw me going back to work, doing appearances, being ‘NeNe,’ but inside, I was breaking.”
What struck fans even more was the timing of her revelation. NeNe’s confession comes as the Bravo world continues to speculate about her potential return to the RHOA franchise, and many now say her emotional vulnerability has humanized her in a way viewers had never seen before. “I’m not just a reality star,” she said. “I’m a widow. I’m a woman who lost the love of her life in front of her eyes.” The moment has gone viral on multiple platforms, with a clip of her tearful quote hitting over 3 million views within 48 hours. Twitter erupted with messages of support, with one user writing, “Say what you want about NeNe, but no one deserves this kind of pain,” and another adding, “She showed us the realest side of grief I’ve ever seen on TV.”
Close friends of NeNe say the moment wasn’t scripted or calculated but a spontaneous burst of emotion after months of bottling up pain. “She’s been strong for her son, strong for her brand, strong for the world—but that strength has a cost,” said a source. “This was the first time she allowed herself to break.” In a rare twist, even former RHOA co-stars who had long feuded with NeNe sent messages of support. Cynthia Bailey posted, “Love and healing to you, NeNe,” while Kandi Burruss shared, “Sending light. Gregg was one of the good ones.”
NeNe ended the segment by saying she still talks to Gregg every day in her heart. “I wake up, I look at his photo, and I say ‘Good morning, baby.’ Some days I feel him with me. Others, I just cry.” In a world dominated by reality TV drama, this moment reminded fans that behind the glam, the feuds, and the taglines, there are real people facing real loss—and sometimes the truest story is one of love and grief.