Teddy Mellencamp reveals a touching message of his father’s heart John Mellencamp he gave her after the pair appeared at the 2026 iHeartRadio Music Awards.
“The next day, my dad calls me and he’s like, ‘Teddy, that was great,'” Teddi, 44, revealed on the Tuesday, March 31, episode of his “Two Ts in a Pod” podcast. “[He told me]’Like that should show you that even if you don’t feel well, you can step up and do these hard things. [and that] your mind is playing tricks on you telling you that you can’t do it anymore.’ He says, ‘You can [do it].’”
He continued, “[Dad told me.] ‘You’re getting stronger.’ He goes, ‘I hear a difference in your voice. You’re getting stronger every day,’ which means, I start crying again.”
Teddy made a rare public appearance during his battle with cancer at the iHeartRadio Music Awards at the Dolby Theater in Hollywood on Thursday, March 26, to present his father, 74, with the prestigious iHeartRadio Icon Award. (Previous recipients of the Icon Award include Cher, Mariah Carey again Elton John.)
“Many of his songs [hold] a place in the hearts of millions,” he told the star-studded crowd, “But for me, ‘The Longest Days’ was the song that meant the most. He sings, ‘But nothing lasts forever / Your best efforts don’t always pay off sometimes / When you’re sick and not getting better / That’s when life is short, even on your longest days.
Teddi continued, “Because it was a little over a year ago when I got sick, my life was cut short, even when the days in the hospital seemed to go on forever. Sometimes you get sick and you don’t get better. He wasn’t going to let that song define my life. He stood up, took control, fought for me and changed my life, saved my life.”
The two shared a hug on stage before John gave advice to young musicians that he had learned over half a century.
Teddi Mellencamp Arroyave presents the iHeartRadio Icon Award to John Mellencamp.
Matt Winkelmeyer/Getty Images for iHeartRadio“I’ve been doing this for 50 years, and I’ve had a lot of fun,” he quipped. “I want to say that for all of you young people who are emerging, there is nothing closer to heaven than writing a song or hearing your songs on the radio or having a show.”
On the red carpet, Teddi told herself Us Weekly that John saw him regularly throughout his cancer treatment.
“I mean, the Icon Award, I’m so happy for my dad,” said Teddi. “I mean, I know about him, he probably won’t be on the red carpet, but when he called me and asked if I would introduce him, it was an honor for me, because he’s been an amazing father. He’s been there for me a lot these past few months. I’m happy to do this for him.”
If John Mellencamp had his way, daughter Teddi Mellencamp would be closer to home during her battle with stage 4 cancer. “I will go out to see him [in Los Angeles],” John, 74, participated in the program of Friday, January 16, in today’s program. “I tried to talk to him to come home. I said, […]
Teddi went public with his stage II melanoma diagnosis in 2022, later confirming in 2025 that he still had multiple brain tumors. April 2025, Teddi told Us that his cancer has progressed to stage IV – although he had a positive update in October 2025 when scans showed “no cancer visible” during his immunotherapy treatment.
I Real Housewives of Beverly Hills The student is one of John’s five children from three marriages. (John and his first wife, Priscilla Esterlineshare daughter Michelle Mellencamp55, and later adopted Teddi, and a daughter Justice Mellencamp40, and his second wife, Victoria Granucci. The singer and his third wife, Elaine Irwinthey are parents to sons Hud Mellencamp,31, and Speck Wildhorse Mellencamp30.)
