NeNe Leakes is 'very happy' with her new boyfriend after The Real Housewives of Atlanta star spent the last year caring for her sick husband. NeNe has been facing criticism for stepping out with her new beau Nyonisela Sioh three months after her husband Gregg Leakes passed away from cancer. Now that NeNe has debuted her new romance, she is getting more comfortable with expressing her newfound happiness. With Nyoni being the first man NeNe has openly dated since Gregg, she is experiencing a new level of attention she wasn't able to enjoy while caring for her ailing husband.
The OG housewife had the rumor mill spinning after posting up photos from her 54th birthday celebration and seemingly confirming a new relationship. Nyoni stood beside NeNe in a pic that included Porsha Williams and Simon Guobadia. The photo appeared to suggest that NeNe was romantically involved with the man standing by her side. In other video clips from the soiree, NeNe could be seen dancing on Nyoni and even kissing him. The videos confirmed what everyone was thinking. The only issue some people appeared to have was the fact that NeNe was able to move on soon after her husband's passing.
But according to insiders, NeNe is "very happy" with Nyoni and is experiencing a joy she hasn't felt in a long time. "She can't stop smiling around Nyonisela," a source told People. "It's still very new but she's almost like a teenager with him, just light and giggly and feeling those new relationship butterflies." NeNe actually met Nyoni through Pete Thomas, the ex-husband of her on-and-off friend and fellow show alum Cynthia Bailey. While NeNe is still mourning the loss of Gregg, she is also opening herself up to being loved and made a priority since she had to focus on Gregg's health for the last few years. "It was obviously very hard for NeNe after Gregg's death, but she had been his caretaker for so long, she really lost what it was like to have a partner who prioritizes you," the source explained.
NeNe is used to being treated like a queen and Nyoni is following in Gregg's footsteps by serenading NeNe feel with love and affection. "He's constantly fawning over her, showering her with compliments and putting her needs first," the insider said. "She couldn't have found a better guy to be with after her loss." For those offended by how fast NeNe started dating after Gregg's death, she recently opened up and explained how he gave her his blessing to date prior to his passing. "Gregg and I had a very tearful conversation before his passing," NeNe told The Shade Room. "His words to me were 'be happy, keep smiling and he who finds you, has found a good one.'" She noted that she will love Greg "forever and ever."
NeNe was married to Gregg for over 20 years. Their marriage was followed since season one of The Real Housewives of Atlanta. They were the only couple across all franchises to get divorced and remarried on the show. Gregg went to great lengths to make NeNe happy and she showed him the same love. Many sent their condolences to NeNe when Gregg passed away in September. NeNe is moving on respectfully and deserves every bit of her newfound happiness. Nyoni has big shoes to fill and NeNe's big personality probably doesn't make it that easy. Fans are excited to see if Nyoni can stand the test of time.
Source: People, The Shade Room