Sarah Palin's Boyfriend, NHL Icon Ron Duguay, Dead at 69 After Grueling Colon Cancer Battle: 'Our Hearts Are Broken'

Sarah Palin's boyfriend, Ron Duguay, has passed away at the age of 69. The Rangers icon died on Thursday, October 22, after a debilitating battle with colon cancer.

Palin, 62, announced his passing on Instagram in a joint post with his family, writing: "Our hearts are broken. We love you forever, Dad."

"It's with a shattered heart but also deep peace knowing Ron is with Jesus now," the former Alaska governor added in her own tribute on social media. "He fought so hard. Love never ends."

The NHL icon was diagnosed with Stage 4 colon cancer in December 2024. His illness originated in his colon and later spread to his appendix and gallbladder.

Palin and Duguay began a relationship in 2022 after her divorce from ex-husband, Todd Palin, was finalized in 2020 after 31 years of marriage.

Duguay is survived by his daughters Shay Thomas and Amber Stavros, as well as son Noah Duguay, and several grandchildren.

Ron also played 12 seasons in the NHL between 1977 and 1989 on teams including the New York Rangers and the Detroit Red Wings.

On October 18, Sarah asked fans for their support and prayers when she posted a photo of Ron in his hospital bed on her Instagram Story.

"Prayers for Ron Duguay are so appreciated," she captioned a snapshot of the pair holding hands at City of Hope Cancer Treatment Center in California.

The politician then shared a follow-up post where Ron had a breathing tube in his nose.

"I know God can. I'm asking him to," she wrote above the photo. "And even if the answer looks different. I know by now to still hold on to him."

Shay shared an update on her father's condition earlier this year, noting on Instagram he was undergoing chemo and doing procedures such as "blood ozone therapy, IV vitamin drips, ivermectin, methylene blue, and countless holistic approaches" to get better.

"Cancer wears on you mentally, emotionally, and physically. The highs bring hope, the lows can feel overwhelming. But through all of it, my dad keeps showing up," she wrote.

Sarah also gushed over her relationship with Ron in a 2022 interview, saying she felt "safe and comfortable" with him.

“Ron is the first person that I’ve ever even talked to about a lot of this personal stuff," she raved at the time. "It’s been helpful and refreshing to have Ron to talk to about not just politics, because he’s got more common sense in his little finger than the collective in D.C., but just about life.”