‘I’d be lost without her’: Johnny Ruffo gets candid about his relationship amid ongoing cancer battle

As Johnny Ruffo undergoes more rounds of chemotherapy to fight his second bout of brain cancer, his girlfriend Tahnee Sims has stayed by his side through it all.

The 34-year-old singer and actor has been battling brain cancer since 2017, having been diagnosed as terminally ill shortly after his cancer returned in 2020 after he had been given the all-clear following multiple rounds of treatment back in 2019.

Sims – who Ruffo often credits for saving his life – has been a constant “foundation” of support for her partner, caring for him throughout the seven years of their relationship.

“I’d be lost without her,” Ruffo revealed in an interview with Now To Love.

“She’s just everything.

“She comes home from work and she’s probably so tired and just wants to have a break, and then she has me. She wants to try and make me smile

“I don’t know how she does it. I really don’t.”

View this post on Instagram

 

A post shared by Johnny Ruffo (@johnny_ruffo)

Ruffo went on to reveal that his cancer treatment is “not easy” before sharing that Sims has “been the most incredible support”, expressing that he feels “like she’s going through” the fight “just as much” as he is.

“It’s not a walk in the park, but you find ways to get through it,” he said.

“Tahnee helps me every single day to get through it. She’s like a motivational speaker now. ‘We just need to get through this week. And then, you know, next week it’ll be a little bit better’.

“Because the chemo you have on a particular day, and then the first week’s usually the worst. As it goes, it’ll slowly filter out of your system, I guess. You feel a little bit better as time goes by.

“Tahnee’s always there motivating me to get outside and get some sun, go for a walk, and do different little things. She’s constantly there by my side trying to motivate me to feel better and to just keep going. One foot in front of the other.”

 

View this post on Instagram

 

A post shared by Johnny Ruffo (@johnny_ruffo)

Despite outliving his original three year life expectancy and coming to terms with his terminal diagnosis, the beloved Australian entertainer has confessed he has one major fear about dying– that his loved ones won’t be given the chance to “say goodbye”.

“I’m scared for my brother, my mum, dad and Tahnee that they won’t be here with me [when I die],” Ruffo admitted to The Daily Telegraph.

“There is no way my family will all be here. The likelihood of that is (slim). It would be ideal if everyone was there – not for my sake, but theirs.”

Ruffo said he hadn’t given up hope and will continue to fight cancer as he faces another round of chemotherapy.

“I’m still trying to kick its arse,” Ruffo said.

Despite his determination to beat cancer, Ruffo recently admitted to The Project that he worries about what will happen to Sims when he inevitably dies. 

“What plays in my head a lot is, I hate to say this, how hard it may be for her if something does happen to me,’” Ruffo said.

“You can only imagine how difficult it’s been for her.

“So, it’s something that I don’t want to think about. It just gets me a little bit emotional about it because I know at some point something will happen, whether it’s, you know, a month from now or 10 years from now or 20 years.

“At some point, it will get me but I’m still fighting. Still kicking on…I’m already winning. My goal now is to try and help as many people as I can and also live a happy life.”

The love certainly flows both ways, as Sims paid tribute to her doting boyfriend on social media following the release of his book No Finish Line. 

“Proud of you every day, but watching you smash yet another goal whilst dealing with everything you have been dealt is inspiring beyond words. You are one of a kind,” she said.