In a raw and emotional episode of Jamie Kern Lima’s podcast, Teddi Mellencamp, former star of Real Housewives of Beverly Hills, bared her soul, admitting to a months-long affair with her then-married horse trainer, Simon Schroeder. The 44-year-old reality star and Two Ts in a Pod co-host tearfully confessed that the affair, which contributed to her divorce from estranged husband Edwin Arroyave, might be the karmic root of her ongoing battle with cancer. “To this day, does it still hurt my heart and I wonder if that’s why I got cancer? Yes, like it was my payback,” Mellencamp shared, her voice breaking. “Nothing goes without payment, I guess.”
Mellencamp, who has largely kept the scandal under wraps to protect her three children—Slate, 12, Cruz, 10, and Dove, 5—finally addressed the affair that rocked her personal life and made headlines late last year. “I’ve never talked about it at all, just because of the kids,” she explained, acknowledging the pain her actions caused. “Did I do things that hurt other people? Yes.” The affair, which she described as an attempt to “minimize everybody’s pain,” instead exploded into the public eye, amplifying the devastation for her family, Arroyave, Schroeder’s family, and beyond. “So many people are hurt in the wreckage,” she lamented, admitting, “The wreckage doesn’t happen on its own.”
Reflecting on the period of her life when the affair took place, Mellencamp painted a picture of a woman in profound distress. “I was so broken as a human being,” she said, revealing that she was grappling with months of debilitating headaches and a deep sense of despair. “I was looking for comfort anywhere I could get it. I felt so much pain. I didn’t go to the doctors. I just felt some certain kind of way, and the pain was so much that I had gotten to the point of, like, almost hating waking up in the morning.” Though she acknowledged that her state of mind doesn’t justify her actions, she described feeling like a “chicken with my head cut off,” desperately seeking anything to ease her suffering.
Mellencamp’s health struggles have been a public journey since her stage 2 melanoma diagnosis in October 2022. After undergoing over a dozen surgeries, she received a clean bill of health in January 2024. However, her relief was short-lived. That November, she filed for divorce from Arroyave, with whom she shares her three children, while Arroyave is also a father to a teenage daughter, Isabella. Reports at the time pointed to Mellencamp’s affair with Schroeder as the catalyst for the split, though Arroyave had previously had an affair earlier in their marriage.
The reality star’s health took another devastating turn in February 2025, when doctors discovered multiple tumors in her brain, believed to have been growing for at least six months. Emergency surgery revealed even more tumors than anticipated. By March, her medical team found additional tumors in her brain and lungs, advancing her diagnosis to stage 4. Though immunotherapy initially showed promise, Mellencamp recently paused the treatment due to severe side effects, leaving her with a sobering 50/50 chance of survival.
Despite their fractured marriage, Arroyave has remained a steadfast supporter throughout Mellencamp’s grueling medical journey, standing by her side as she navigates this uncertain chapter. Mellencamp’s candid confession sheds light on the complex interplay of guilt, regret, and resilience, as she grapples with the consequences of her actions and the unrelenting fight for her life. Her story is a poignant reminder of the human cost of personal choices and the enduring strength found in facing life’s hardest truths.