Katie Couric Opens Up About Unspoken Regrets Surrounding Late Husband

Katie Couric is candidly addressing a profound regret from her past, one that has lingered since her husband’s passing nearly three decades ago.

Jay Monahan, Couric's husband and father to their two daughters, succumbed to colorectal cancer on January 24, 1998, at just 42 years old. At the time, Couric was in the spotlight as a host of the “Today” show, navigating both personal and professional challenges.

“My biggest regret, I think, was that I never really talked to my husband about the possibility that he might die, quite frankly. We never had those hard conversations,” she revealed in a recent interview with USA Today.

Reflecting on the shock of Monahan’s diagnosis, the 69-year-old former NBC anchor expressed a desire for both of them to have sought counseling during that tumultuous period. “I wish we had gone to talk to somebody who could have helped facilitate that kind of conversation,” she admitted. “The only way I knew to deal with Jay’s illness was to not give up hope and keep saying, ‘We’ll figure this out.’”

Couric emphasized the importance of maintaining a hopeful outlook in dire situations but acknowledged that denial can obstruct families from preparing for what lies ahead. “There are a lot of things I never talked to Jay about because I couldn’t deal with bringing up the possibility that he wouldn’t be around,” she stated. “As a caregiver, that’s probably my biggest regret.”

Fast forward nearly 25 years after Monahan's death, Couric faced her own health battle when she was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2022. Following surgery and radiation treatment, she has become an outspoken advocate for timely screenings, sharing her experience of how her cancer was detected after a delayed annual mammogram and ultrasound.

In her conversation with USA Today, Couric also encouraged caregivers to seek help and support from others. “You need to have a respite for your own physical and mental health,” she explained. “I tried to do that during the course of Jay’s illness. I felt guilty at times, but I knew that I was going to explode if I didn’t do that.”

For more insights from Couric, check out her full interview with USA Today.