In Tears: Teddi Mellencamp Speaks on Cancer and Controversy

TEDDI MELLENCAMP SPEAKS OUT ON CHEATING SCANDAL: "I DID THINGS THAT HURT OTHER PEOPLE, BUT I'M NOT GOING TO BLAME IT ON MY CANCER"

In a shocking revelation on Tuesday's episode of The Jamie Kern Lima Show podcast, former Real Housewives of Beverly Hills star Teddi Mellencamp finally broke her silence regarding the alleged affair with her horse trainer, Simon Schroeder. The 44-year-old reality TV personality opened up about the controversy that made headlines in late 2024, leaving fans and followers eager for answers.

"I've never talked about it at all, just because of the kids, and I've never wanted anybody to have a guarantee whether it happened or didn't happen," Mellencamp explained. "But what I can say is, did I do things that hurt other people? Yes." As her eyes welled with tears, the mother-of-three reflected on how deeply the situation continues to affect her, without confirming or denying whether the cheating scandal occurred.

Mellencamp's candid confession has left many wondering about the circumstances surrounding her alleged affair. "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," she said, referencing her ongoing battle with stage 4 cancer after her melanoma spread to her brain and lungs.

"It's like they say, nothing goes without payment," Mellencamp added. "However long it was...it was all over the press, it was everywhere. You're trying to minimize everybody's pain. You end up maximizing it. Because now not only do you have yourself, you have your significant other, your kids, the other person's significant other, their kids."

Court records obtained by The Scholarly Note confirm that Schroeder's ex-wife, Karli Schroeder, filed for divorce on December 30, 2024, just months after rumors of an affair began circulating. The documents revealed that the couple had remarried on April 14, 2024, after annulment of a prior marriage in February and officially separated on September 22, 2024.

Mellencamp's personal life was already a hot mess during this time. She had filed for divorce from her husband of 13 years, Edwin Arroyave, on November 1, 2024, citing irreconcilable differences. Then, in February 2025, Mellencamp publicly revealed her cancer diagnosis, pausing the divorce proceedings.

Despite everything, Mellencamp and Arroyave have remained close and have an amicable co-parenting relationship. They share three children: Slate, 12, Cruz, 10, and Dove, 5. "I always knew he'd do the right thing by me," she said during the podcast. "If he wanted to, he could still be filing and finishing this divorce off right now. But...it was like, 'Yeah, of course. No, we'll wait. We'll wait until she's better, and then we'll figure it out.'"

When asked directly about her role in the scandal, Mellencamp didn't shy away from the wreckage left behind. "So many people are hurt in the wreckage," she said. "But I can say this from knowing—the wreckage doesn't happen on its own. It never had happened to me." She acknowledged that she was in a dark place mentally and physically during that period.

"I think I was so broken as a human being during that part of my life that I did things out of my better judgment," Mellencamp admitted. "I was so sick, experiencing severe and debilitating headaches for months before doctors discovered tumors." She revealed that she had been seeking comfort anywhere she could find it. "I felt so much pain, I felt so sick. I didn't go to the doctors. I just felt some certain kind of way," she said.

The mother-of-three emphasized that illness doesn't excuse her choices. "I wasn't myself, but I'm not going to blame my alleged actions on the fact that I was sick," Mellencamp said. "But I do think a bunch of things happened in my life all around the same time, and I had zero control of any of them. Like I just was running around like a chicken with its head cut off."

As Mellencamp continues to navigate her personal struggles, one thing is clear: she's not afraid to speak her mind and face the consequences of her actions. But will this honesty be enough to repair the damage done? Only time will tell.

**The aftermath of the scandal has left many wondering about the fate of Teddi Mellencamp's marriage and relationships with those involved. Stay tuned for more updates on this juicy drama!