1 week ago
11
Teddi Mellencamp teared up while presenting the iHeartRadio Icon Award to her father John Mellencamp at the star-studded ceremony on Thursday evening.
The father-daughter duo took the stage together for a heartfelt moment as Teddi, 44, said the rock star, 74, 'pretty much saved my life' amid her stage 4 cancer battle.
After giving an emotional speech about her father, she handed him the Icon Award before he gave her the trophy in a moving gesture.
Initially, iHeartMedia CEO Robert Pittman first took the stage to introduce Teddi and spoke about her courage while battling cancer, going through lengthy treatments and undergoing multiple surgeries.
This comes after Teddi was discharged from the hospital and returned home after a grueling stint in the emergency room earlier this month.
During her speech, Teddi also spoke about how her dad continues to support her amid her cancer battle.
Teddi Mellencamp shared a heartfelt moment with her dad, John Mellencamp, while presenting the iHeartRadio Icon Award to him on Thursday
During her speech, Teddi, 44, spoke about her dad's love and support during a difficult time in her life and was visibly moved to tears
'Tonight, we celebrate the career of my dad John Mellencamp,' she said. 'But before I tell you the story of John Mellencamp, the artist, I want to tell you the story of him as a father.'
'He's being honored as an icon, a legend, a hit maker,' the Real Housewives of Beverly Hills alum continued. 'But to me, he'll always be Dad.'
She spoke about how people always wanted to know about her experience 'growing up with a rock star for a father.'
'In my eyes, it was no different than anybody else. He gave me advice. He'd give me groundings. He would love on me.'
Still, Teddi admitted there were times it would feel surreal to her that he was her father.
She explained there were instances she would be in awe, like 'when you're in an Uber and they're blasting Jack & Diane, when you're at a karaoke bar and somebody's singing Hurts so Good, his plethora of hit songs holding a place in the hearts of millions, but for me, Longest Days has been the song that means the most.'
She continued: 'In it, he sings: "But nothing lasts forever / Your best efforts don't always pay / Sometimes when you get sick, you don't get better / That's when life is short, even at its longest days."'
She said that the song was particularly meaningful to her since she was diagnosed with stage 2 melanoma in October 2022, which metastasized to her brain and lungs last year.
2026 iHeartRadio Music Awards winners: AT A GLANCE
Artist of the Year: Taylor Swift
Album of the Year: The Life of a Showgirl – Taylor Swift
Pop Song of the Year: ‘The Fate of Ophelia’ – Taylor Swift
Pop Album of the Year: The Life of a Showgirl – Taylor Swift
Best Lyrics (Socially Voted Category): ‘The Fate of Ophelia’ – Taylor Swift
Best Music Video (Socially Voted Category): ‘The Fate of Ophelia’ – Taylor Swift
Favorite Tour Style (Socially Voted Category): Taylor Swift, Taylor Swift | The Eras Tour
Innovator Award: Miley Cyrus
Icon Award: John Mellencamp
Landmark Award: Ludacris
She got teary-eyed as she spoke about how her dad 'pretty much saved my life'
After she said her musician father 'stepped up, took control, fought for me and pretty much changed my life, saved my life,' she welcomed him to the stage and they shared a big hug
She looked fondly at her dad as she presented him with the honor recognizing him for his decades-long career, his dedication to music and also to her, his daughter
The father-daughter duo shared a sweet and emotional moment before he performed some of his greatest hits on the award show stage
The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills alum was diagnosed with stage 2 melanoma in October 2022, which metastasized to her brain and lungs last year. She was hospitalized just weeks earlier and made a stunning appearance on the red carpet
In October 2025, she said that she received positive news when doctors told her she has 'no trace of cancer' anymore. However, she said she would have to continue with immunotherapy until her doctors consider her to be in remission
'Because it was a little over a year ago when I got sick, my life felt short, even when the days in the hospital seemed to go on forever,' she explained.
'He stepped up, took control, fought for me and pretty much changed my life, saved my life,' she continued as she explained how her dad didn't want the melancholy lyrics to define her life.
'We're celebrating the icon, the artist, a man the whole world knows as John Mellencamp. A man I get to call Dad and my best friend.'
Since Teddi received her first diagnosis, she has kept her fans up to date on her health and wellness.
In October 2025, she said that she received positive news when doctors told her she has 'no trace of cancer' anymore after undergoing 17 surgeries and multiple rounds of chemotherapy.
She explained that she will continue to get immunotherapy treatments for another year and is 'still fighting' because she is 'not considered in remission or anything like that' yet.
2026 iHeartRadio Music Awards winners in-full
Artist of the Year: Taylor Swift
Album of the Year: The Life of a Showgirl – Taylor Swift
Song of the Year: ‘Ordinary’ – Alex Warren
Breakthrough Award: Alex Warren
Innovator Award: Miley Cyrus
Icon Award: John Mellencamp
Landmark Award: Ludacris
Pop Artist of the Year: Sabrina Carpenter
Pop Song of the Year: ‘The Fate of Ophelia’ – Taylor Swift
Pop Album of the Year: The Life of a Showgirl – Taylor Swift
Best New Artist (Pop): Alex Warren
Duo/Group of the Year: Huntr/X, Ejae, Audrey Nuna, Rei Ami
Country Song of the Year: ‘Good News’ – Shaboozey
Country Artist of the Year: Morgan Wallen
Best New Artist (Country): Ella Langley
Country Album of the Year: I’m The Problem – Morgan Wallen
Hip-Hop Song of the Year: ‘luther’ – Kendrick Lamar and SZA
Hip-Hop Artist of the Year: Kendrick Lamar
Hip-Hop Album of the Year: GNX – Kendrick Lamar
Best New Artist (Hip-Hop): Real Boston Richey
R&B Song of the Year: ‘Folded’ – Kehlani
R&B Artist of the Year: Chris Brown
Best New Artist (R&B): Leon Thomas
R&B Album of the Year: PHOLKS – Leon Thomas
World Artist of the Year: MOLIY
Alternative Song of the Year: ‘Ensenada’ – Sublime
Alternative Artist of the Year: Twenty One Pilots
Best Collaboration: ‘Apt.’ – Rosé & Bruno Mars
Best New Artist (Alternative): Sombr
Alternative Album of the Year: I Barely Know Her – Sombr
Rock Song of the Year: ‘Heavy Is the Crown’ – Linkin Park
Rock Artist of the Year: Shinedown
Best New Artist (Rock): Sleep Theory
Rock Album of the Year: Even in Arcadia – Sleep Token
Dance Song of the Year: ‘No Broke Boys’ – Disco Lines & Tinashe
Dance Artist of the Year: David Guetta
Dance Album of the Year: Mayhem – Lady Gaga
Latin Pop/Urban Song of the Year: ‘DtMF’ – Bad Bunny
Latin Pop/Urban Artist of the Year: Bad Bunny
Latin Pop/Urban Song of the Year: ‘Debí Tirar Más Fotos’ – Bad Bunny
Best New Artist (Latin Pop/Urban): Beéle
Regional Mexican Song of the Year: ‘Amor Bonito’ – Luis Angel ‘El Flaco’
Regional Mexican Artist of the Year: Grupo Frontera
Best New Artist (Regional Mexican): Los Dos De Tamaulipas
Latin Pop/Urban Song of the Year: ‘111XPANTIA’ – Fuerza Regida
K-pop Artist of the Year: Rosé
K-pop Group of the Year: Stray Kids
K-pop Song of the Year: ‘Golden’ – Huntr/X, Ejae, Audrey Nuna, Rei Ami
Best New Artist (K-pop): Cortis
K-pop Album of the Year: Ruby – Jennie
Songwriter of the Year: Amy Allen
Producer of the Year: Andrew Watt
Favorite Broadway Debut (Socially Voted Category): Tom Felton, Harry Potter and the Cursed Child
Favorite TikTok Dance (Socially Voted Category): ‘Mona Lisa’ – j-hope
Favorite Debut Album (Socially Voted Category): You’ll Be Alright, Kid – Alex Warren
Best Lyrics (Socially Voted Category): ‘The Fate of Ophelia’ – Taylor Swift
Best Music Video (Socially Voted Category): ‘The Fate of Ophelia’ – Taylor Swift
Favorite On Screen (Socially Voted Category): ‘Are You Sure?!’ – Jimin and Jungkook
Favorite Tour Photographer (Socially Voted Category): Rahul Bhatt for KATSEYE
Favorite Soundtrack (Socially Voted Category): KPop Demon Hunters
Favorite Tour Style (Socially Voted Category): Taylor Swift, Taylor Swift | The Eras Tour
Favorite Tour Tradition (Socially Voted Category): Coldplay, Crowd cam
Favorite K-pop Collab (Socially Voted Category): ‘Sweet Dreams (feat. Miguel)’ – j-hope, Miguel
English (US) ·