After Losing Wife & Fiancé to Cancer, Denise Richards' Dad Finds Love Again, Says "Fate Has a Strange Way of Bringing People Together"

Irving Richards knows the pain of losing loved ones to cancer. It was nearly 14 years ago that he lost his wife, who was Denise Richards' mother, to kidney cancer. Then in 2018, just a month after Denise married Aaron Phypers, Irving’s fiancé died from cancer.

 

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Irving didn't let his grief get in the way of love, though, and he kept searching for it, even appearing on the reality TV dating show, Millionaire Matchmaker. Now, once again the 71-year-old has found it, and he's now happily proclaiming his romantic relationship with a woman named Kimberley.

Related: After Losing His Wife, Jo, To Ovarian Cancer, Actor Steve Buscemi Opens Up About Grief and Isolation As Advances Bring Hope

Finding Love Again

On his private Instagram account, The Sun reports that Irving posted a picture of the two of them together with a caption that read, "Well I thought I was too old to find love again but I now have a wonderful partner Kimberley and we are very happy together."

As difficult as losing two other loves were, he credits fate for this new romance. A caption beneath the photo reads: "Fate has a strange way of bringing people together."

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The former Real Housewives star hasn't commented on the photo or their relationship yet, but her daughter, Lola Sheen, 15, approves. She reportedly commented on her grandpa's picture, "congrats grandpa! So happy for u."

Love After Cancer Loss

Losing a loved one to cancer is never easy, and everyone deals with it their own way. Some turn to support groups or therapy to help them with the grieving process. Some have a hard time moving on to another romantic partner while others find love right away.

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In an interview with SurvivorNet, Doug Wendt, who lost his wife Alice to ovarian cancer, talked about the grieving process and how different it is for every person. "We're never gonna move on, I don't even think I want to move on, but I do want to move forward,” he said. “That's an important distinction and I encourage anybody who goes through this journey as a caregiver and then has to face loss, to think very carefully about how to move forward."

 

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The important thing is that those who lose loved ones to cancer find a way to go on and, as hard as it may be, live life as fully as they can. Because if cancer teaches us anything, it's just how precious time is and how much love matters.

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