What happened to Jeana Keough’s husband? RHOC alum’s relationships explored amid cancer diagnosis

Wisconsin-based reality TV star-turned-actress Jeana Keough, 70, who was one of the popular faces in The Real Housewives of Orange County, is going through a difficult phase in her life after being diagnosed with tongue cancer.

According to People, Jeana's daughter Kara and son Shane took to their Instagram on July 19, 2026, and, in a joint post, revealed that she has not been doing well healthwise and is experiencing a lot of pain due to her tongue cancer.

As cited by People, Kara and Shane launched a GoFundMe for their mother to raise money for her medical bills. Kara explained on Jeana's GoFundMe website how their mother's cancer had spread after the surgery. Jeana Keough, who is currently undergoing chemotherapy and immunotherapy, was married to Matt Keough, with whom she shares three children. Besides Shane and Kara, she also had another son, Colton, with Matt.

According to People, while Jeana Keough tied the knot with Matt Keough in 1984, they eventually split in the '90s, with Matt filing for divorce in 2004, eventually finalizing it in 2019. Matt Keough, who was a professional baseball player, passed away suddenly on May 2, 2020.

As per People, Matt's sudden death was caused by a pulmonary embolism in his lungs. As mentioned by Jeana, Matt's sudden death came as a shock to her family, as he was quite healthy and was physically fit too. During an interview with HollywoodLife, Jeana shared that Matt was having lunch with Claudia, who was his romantic partner at the time, and watching the races when he suddenly died.

Following her split from Matt, Jeana Keough has been single for quite some time. However, in April 2026, she took to her Instagram and shared a picture of herself with a man, announcing her new relationship. While Jeana did not mention her new boyfriend's name, she wrote in the caption:

"I have been single so long I had given up, and then this man gets introduced to me! Just when I thought I would never fall in love again.....thanks for making all of my dreams come true!"

Jeana Keough's children shared a joint Instagram post revealing their mother's cancer struggle

Kara and Shane shared a picture of their mother, Jeana, on Instagram on Sunday, with a long caption, in which they mentioned her painful struggle with cancer.

The caption also shed light on the kind of person their mother, Jeana, is. While they called Jeana a kind and generous person, Kara and Shane also mentioned her welcoming nature. The caption began with:

"She is kind to everyone—even to people who have nothing to offer her in return. She is generous to a fault. She gives people the benefit of the doubt, even when they’ve proven, over and over again, that they don’t deserve her grace."

While mentioning how Jeana is dealing with her pain, they wrote:

"Even now, in the middle of one of the most painful and vulnerable seasons of her life, she’s still finding ways to lift everyone else up."

They ended the caption by writing:

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"If you’ve ever been touched by Jeana’s kindness, generosity, or friendship—or if you’d simply like to help someone who has spent her life helping others—please consider reading her story."

Keep an eye on Soap Central for more.

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