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Is Ben Sasse's wife suffering from major health scare? ‘We’ve battled some nasty seizures’
Ben Sasse announced his diagnosis of advanced pancreatic cancer while supporting his wife Melissa, who has faced health challenges including epilepsy.
Former Republican Senator Ben Sasse, who withdrew from public life last year to support his wife Melissa following her epilepsy diagnosis, has announced that he has been diagnosed with advanced pancreatic cancer.
In a post on X on Tuesday, the former senator from Nebraska described his illness as “metastasized, stage 4 pancreatic cancer,” stating that he is “gonna die.”
“Advanced pancreatic is nasty stuff; it's a death sentence,” the 53-year-old said. “But I already had a death sentence before last week too — we all do.”
Sasse's wife earned her degrees from the University of Alabama and George Mason University, and has previously served as a school teacher and guidance counselor.
Also Read: Ben Sasse family: All on his wife Melissa and kids amid stage 4 pancreatic cancer diagnosis
Ben Sasse wife Melissa's health woes
In recent years, Melissa has encountered considerable health issues. After enduring a brain aneurysm, from which she made a recovery, she was diagnosed with epilepsy in 2024. Later, Sasse stepped down from his position as president of the University of Florida to concentrate on providing support to his family following her diagnosis.
In a message posted on the social media platform X last year, the former US senator from Nebraska announced that “after extensive prayer and many family tears,” he requested university officials to begin the search for a new president that very day.
Meanwhile, US media reports stated that the couple initially met during a Christian mission trip while in college, where they connected over their mutual faith.
‘We’ve battled some nasty seizures’
Melissa, who suffered an aneurysm and multiple strokes in 2007, was diagnosed with epilepsy last year and was experiencing a new set of “memory issues,” Sasse informed. “We’ve battled some nasty seizures the last couple years, but she’s always remained a warrior,” he said.
The couple has two daughters – Elizabeth and Alexandra and a teenager son named Breck.
