Sometimes the toughest conversations happen in the most unexpected ways—like when you’re relaxing in the bath and your dad calls eleven times to talk about… burial plans.
That’s exactly what happened to Real Housewives of Beverly Hills alum Teddi Mellencamp, who is currently facing stage 4 cancer.
On a recent episode of her podcast, Two Ts In A Pod, she shared a surprisingly candid—and morbidly humorous—chat she had with her father, rock legend John Mellencamp.
“Let Me Live a Little!” – A Call About the Family Mausoleum
Teddi, 43, revealed that her dad recently phoned her repeatedly, clearly on a mission.
When she finally picked up, mid-bath, he wasted no time.
“I’m in the bath. Let me live a little,” she told him. But her father wasn’t calling for small talk.
“I just want to make sure you’re going to be in our group family mausoleum,” he said.
Not exactly your typical catch-up call.
While Teddi wasn’t in a rush to make that decision, her dad pointed out that she’s already working on her will—so why not include her final resting place in Indiana while she’s at it?
Making Room for the Kids, Too
John Mellencamp even mapped out a spot for Teddi’s three children—Slate (12), Cruz (10), and Dove (5)—whom she shares with estranged husband Edwin Arroyave.
According to Teddi, her dad explained it like this: “There’s going to be the top five and then we’re gonna have little areas around it, and that’s where everyone’s going to get buried.”
Teddi responded, “Do I need to make this commitment right now?” Her father’s reply? “You may as well.”
“I Don’t Want to Be a Vegetable”
The conversation didn’t stop there. It veered into even more difficult territory: what happens if she ends up in a vegetative state.
Teddi made it clear to her dad that she doesn’t want to be kept alive under those circumstances.
But he jokingly insisted he would be “in charge” of that decision.
Trying to clarify, she said, “This is a reminder. I don’t want to be a vegetable.”
His reply? “Vegetable is dependent.”
Cue a moment of levity: “What do you mean? If I’m a cucumber or a… this is not a dependent. It is what it is,” she laughed.
Despite the heavy subject matter, the two managed to keep the tone light, and in the end, Teddi believes she agreed to join the mausoleum.
“Now I have to work on my sister next week. The kids will be right behind me.”
Teddi’s Ongoing Battle with Stage 4 Cancer
Teddi’s openness about her health has been heartbreaking yet inspiring.
First diagnosed with melanoma in 2022, she recently confirmed that the cancer has now spread to her lungs and brain.
Just days after a public update, she learned she had four additional tumors in her brain.
“I had six brain tumors and two lung tumors,” she told Us Weekly.
“They all came from melanoma that metastasized into these tumors inside of my body.”
What Comes Next: A Difficult Waiting Game
Her treatment plan has changed significantly. Now, she’s waiting until June 1 to find out what the next step will be—more treatments, possible surgery, or potentially, the end.
“It’s a hard pill to swallow,” she admitted. “It’s got to be extremely difficult to think about the end.”
The Pain of Missing Moments with Her Kids
Of all the painful aspects of her diagnosis, not being there for her kids hits the hardest.
“When I was in the ICU, it was incredibly difficult because I had no memory,” Teddi shared.
“One day, I realized it was my daughter’s birthday, and I couldn’t be there for it. It was really sad.”
She’s gone through immunotherapy and radiation in her fight to live, and she’s not giving up.
Who’s Been There—and Who Hasn’t
Throughout her journey, Teddi says she’s been supported by several of her Real Housewives castmates—but not all.
Kyle Richards, she says, has been by her side since day one.
When Teddi needed access to top doctors at Cedars-Sinai hospital, it was Kyle who stepped in to help.
“She called around and found a way for us to get in,” Teddi said. “Kyle saved the day.”
Thanks to that intervention, surgeons were able to remove four of her brain tumors—tumors she never even knew she had until they were already advanced.
A Few Reached Out, One Didn’t
Not everyone from the Bravo world reached out. Teddi shared that Garcelle Beauvais hasn’t contacted her at all since her diagnosis.
On the flip side, Dorit Kemsley eventually did. Despite past tension, Dorit reached out through Erika Jayne, asking if she could reconnect.
Teddi’s response? “I don’t know how quick I’ll be to forgive, but sure.” But after reading Dorit’s message, she added, “It was so nice that I have to say, we’ll probably be fine.”
Facing the Future with Strength and Humor
Even as she battles the most difficult fight of her life, Teddi Mellencamp continues to face it with humor, honesty, and resilience.
Whether she’s fielding calls about family mausoleums or fighting cancer with everything she’s got, she’s doing it on her own terms—with love, grit, and the occasional well-timed joke.