Tarek El Moussa was diagnosed with more than one type of cancer within the same year.
He later said the ’emotional rollercoaster’ had some impact on his divorce with Christine Haack.
Tarek became a reality star alongside ex-wife Christina in their Flip or Flop series – but 2013 ended up being a difficult journey.
Fans might have first encountered Tarek through his relationship with Selling Sunset’s Heather Rae Young. However, realtor fans may have known him for his hit show beforehand.
During his years in the public eye, viewers have been following his personal and professional life. In the same year as his Flip and Flop series, and the overnight success, the real estate investor was tragically diagnosed with two types of cancer.
After entering remission and being given the all-clear, the celeb has previously spoken out about the health scares to raise awareness.
Tarek El Moussa is a two-time cancer survivor
Tarek discovered he had thyroid cancer in 2013. A fan, who noticed he had a lump in his throat during an episode of Flip or Flop, emailed him and told him to get checked out.
In the same year, Tarek was also diagnosed with testicular cancer. This time, he kept it quiet from his fans and the media.
However, the 41-year-old eventually opened up about his second cancer diagnosis after his stepfather suffered from the same disease.
Despite being “really sick” for six seasons, he continued to film for the show from 2013 until he became cancer-free in 2019. The last episode of the popular series aired in March 2022.
Tarek El Moussa fought cancer through his divorce
Not only was Tarek going through his thyroid and testicular cancer at the time, but the star was also going through a divorce with now ex-wife, Christine Haack.
In an interview with The Doctors, he revealed they had “miserable” years of an “emotional, physical rollercoaster.” After seven years of marriage and two children, the beloved reality couple decided to part ways.
Tarek revealed one of the main causes of their divorce was the growing fame and his cancer diagnosis.
“I feel like if we had better communication, we would have had a better relationship,” he said. “I think as time went on, as you get busier and busier. It was like overnight, business, TV, all these things happened overnight.
“Then the cancer, then the cancer… And the back surgery. It just kind of started pushing us apart from each other.”
Inspiring others
According to PEOPLE, the soon-to-be dad-of-three revealed his story became a source of inspiration for his fans.
“A lot of people said they got tested because I shared my story,” he told the news outlet. “I thought this was the time to come forward because it could save some lives.”
In 2019, Tarek became officially cancer free and shared the happy news with his hundreds of thousands of followers at the time.
“Tearing up writing this,” the reality star said getting back on track to being “healthy and alive” for his two children was his priority.
In a section of his caption, he wrote: “I told myself no matter what you can’t quit!!! It was tough, but I knew deep down I had to keep going. I was very scared and suffering inside, but never showed it. Looking back, I should have.”
Tarek, who recently celebrated his first anniversary after marrying Heather Rae Young, is set to welcome his third child – and their first together – with the realtor.
If you have been affected by this story, there are helplines and support organizations. In the US, contact Cancer Care at 800‑813‑HOPE (4673) or visit this link, [email protected]. You can also call the American Cancer Society on 1-800-227-234 or visit their website. In the UK, you can call 0808 800 6000 or visit Cancer Research UK, or Macmillan Cancer Support.