John Tesh is crediting his wife, Connie Sellecca, with helping keep him alive as he continues a cancer fight that has stretched on for more than a decade.
Tesh, 73, spoke candidly about his health and the role his wife has played in keeping him going, reflecting on the long road since his diagnosis.
“I’m incredibly grateful, because it has been literally a 10-and-a-half-year journey from when I was first diagnosed in 2015,” he told Good Morning America.
He recalled the moment he learned he had advanced prostate cancer and how bleak the outlook initially seemed. Doctors, he said, told him they couldn’t operate and suggested he get his affairs in order, estimating he might have only about 18 months to live.
At first, Tesh felt like his story was over. He described the news as feeling like being hit “with a brick,” and said there were plenty of tears and despair. But that was when Sellecca stepped in with unwavering resolve.
His “faith-filled” wife, a proud Italian from the Bronx, refused to accept that prognosis. According to Tesh, she pushed back against the idea that this was the end of the road for them, insisting, “This is not us,” and encouraging him to fight.
Tesh admitted that the diagnosis put enormous strain on their relationship. He says prostate cancer can “break couples apart,” and for a time, it nearly did. He struggled with drinking and leaned on medications he could easily access as a terminal patient, slipping into what Sellecca called a “pity party.” Eventually, she drew a firm line and urged him to snap out of it, refusing to let him give up on himself or their life together.
He said the expectation that he might live a long life, like his Aunt Omegene who reached 100, became something they had to fight for as a team. Tesh described the experience as a “couple’s battle” — one he believes they’ve managed to win together.
Looking back after more than 30 years of marriage, Tesh says he’s certain he wouldn’t still be here without Sellecca’s support. The pair married in 1992 and share a daughter; Tesh is also stepfather to Sellecca’s son from a previous relationship.
“I’m able to look back at the things that have happened in my marriage and look at the strength that Connie imparted to me,” he said. “If you unplug that piece from my journey, I’m not here.”
