NeNe Leakes Holds Celebration of Life for Late Husband Gregg: 'I Will Continue To Be Strong'
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NeNe Leakes has honored her late husband Gregg Leakes with a special memorial.
The Real Housewives of Atlanta alum, 53, held a "celebration of life" for Gregg at her Linnethia Lounge in Atlanta on Monday, where she paid tribute to her husband while surrounded by their loved ones.
On Tuesday, she shared a collection of photos from the event, admitting that she was initially hesitant to share the special occasion on social media.
"It took a whole day for me to decide if i wanted to post pictures from Gregg's 'Celebration Of Life' Ceremony," Leakes wrote. "What a celebration it was!"
"I am grateful for all of you??????," she continued, adding, "THANK YOU FROM THE BOTTOM OF MY HEART!I LOVE GREGG SO MUCH AND MISS HIM A LOT??. I will continue to be strong and celebrate his life????."
Tibrina Hobson/WireImage Nene Leakes and Gregg Leakes
The memorial was attended by several of NeNe's former RHOA costars including was joined by Phaedra Parks, Marlo Hampton, Porsha Williams and Eva Marcille.
Gregg died "peacefully" in his home earlier this month at age 66 after a battle with colon cancer.
"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," publicist and longtime family friend Ernest Dukes wrote in a statement.
"We ask that you pray for peace and strength over their family & allow them to mourn in private during this very very difficult time."
NeNe and Gregg were first married in 1997 before getting divorced in 2011. The couple remarried in June 2013. They share one son together, Brentt Leakes, 22.
RELATED: NeNe Leakes Honors Late Husband Gregg 1 Day After His Death with Sweet Video of Couple Dancing
Gregg was originally diagnosed with Stage III colon cancer in 2018. He was in remission for two years before being hospitalized for six weeks earlier this year after his cancer returned.
"It's difficult," she said during an Instagram Live while announcing the news. "He's super small. If you've ever been around somebody who's had cancer before, he's different. He's different."
Nene Leakes/Instagram
In November 2018, the reality star told PEOPLE that Gregg's cancer diagnosis had a massive impact on the entire family.
"To learn that Gregg has cancer? Our lives just changed that day," she said at the time. "Our whole routine changed. Just … everything changed. I don't have cancer. Gregg has cancer. But I feel like our whole house has cancer."
RELATED: Andy Cohen, RHOA Stars Send Love to NeNe Leakes After Her Husband Gregg Dies of Colon Cancer
"He's a changed person, his attitude changed," she added. "I feel like that day I lost my husband. Our whole dynamic changed. Sometimes I forget that he's sick and I need to remind myself because he's so on edge. He's not nice, but he can't help it."
RELATED: NeNe Leakes Remembers Late Husband Gregg 1 Week After His Death from Colon Cancer
NeNe received an outpouring of support from the RHOA community in wake of her husband's death. Executive producer Andy Cohen said he was "heartbroken" over the loss of "a wonderful man" in a tribute to Gregg on Twitter.
"I jokingly called him 'Pastor Leakes' but in truth he was a strong voice of reason & commanded great respect among the entire #RHOA team," the 53-year-old added. "I am sending love and strength to @neneleakes & the entire Leakes family."
