Teddi Mellencamp Arroyave’s Emotional Speech Honors Friend Kyle Richards for Saving Her Life
Teddi Mellencamp Arroyave, the former star of The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills, took the stage at the Melanoma Research Foundation’s 23rd Annual New York City Gala on Thursday, October 24, to reflect on the role her friend Kyle Richards played in her journey with melanoma.
In a candid speech, Mellencamp Arroyave shared how Richards, 55, pushed her to visit a doctor’s appointment, which ultimately led to her diagnosis and subsequent treatment. “I’ve spoken in the past about how my friend Kyle Richards forced me to go to that doctor’s appointment,” she said. “We were on a walk, and she said, ‘Your back looks a little different.'”
Mellencamp Arroyave, 43, explained that her friend’s intervention was what saved her life. “The truth is, if she hadn’t forced me to go to that appointment, I don’t know that I’d be up here having this conversation right now, but she saved my life,” she said. “And as someone with a platform, I know I can use my pain to pay it forward to help others avoid theirs.”
Mellencamp Arroyave, who has been open about her struggles with melanoma on her podcast, Two T’s in a Pod, and social media, used her platform to raise awareness and funds for melanoma education programs, research grants, and federal and state-level advocacy initiatives.
The reality star also shared her gratitude for the outpouring of support from friends, family, and fans, who have reached out to express their own struggles with the disease. “I never could have imagined the number of people who would message me and say, ‘I got my skin checked because of you’ and ‘I caught something’ or ‘Thank you, you saved my life,'” she said.
In her social media post, Mellencamp Arroyave expressed her appreciation for having a community that allows her to “amplify her voice.” “I’m grateful for all of the doctors, nurses, and scientists fighting this fight,” she wrote. “And I’m especially grateful for all of you, who have showered me with love, support, and your own inspirational stories of resilience and survival.”
As Mellencamp Arroyave looks to the future, she remains committed to using her platform to raise awareness and funds for melanoma research. Her next event, TwoTscon, is scheduled for November 1 at the iHeart Theater in Los Angeles, with special guests Heather Dubrow, Dolores Catania, Cynthia Bailey, and Marysol Patton.
The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills premieres on November 19 on Bravo, and previous seasons can be streamed on Peacock.
