Daughter of Sarah Palin's Cancer-Stricken Boyfriend Gives Update After Horror Fall Hospitalized Hockey Star
Sarah Palin's boyfriend, Ron Duguay, is recovering in the hospital.
July 29 2026, Published 7:20 p.m. ET
The daughter of Sarah Palin's hockey star boyfriend, Ron Duguay, has issued an update on her father's health following his horror fall, RadarOnline.com can reveal.
Shay Thomas told fans via her Instagram Stories the former New York Rangers star is now able to "eat" and "take short walks" while being assessed in hospital.
'He's Able To Eat, Sit Up and Take Short Walks'
Ron Duguay's daughter gave an encouraging update on star's health.
Duguay, 69, suffered facial injuries, including the loss of several teeth, after he fainted at his home, leaving him unconscious.
He was rushed to hospital by ambulance, and according to Thomas, extensive medical testing revealed severe underlying complications tied to his ongoing cancer battle.
Explaining his current status, she wrote: "A little update on my dad. He had a better day today. He was able to eat a little, get up, and take a short walk, which felt like a huge win after the last several days."
"He is still in hospital and has another night there as of now while the doctors continue to monitor him, but we are grateful for every small step forward," she noted.
Ron Duguay's Cancer Fight Continues
Duguay's daughter thanked fans for messages of support.
She concluded: "Thank you for all your continued prayers, messages and support. We appreciate them more than you would know."
Duguay first fell ill in October 2024 after shoveling snow at Palin's Alaska home.
Testing confirmed he had Stage 4 cancer, and he secretly spent the next months fighting the illness in private before his daughters encouraged him to launch a GoFundMe page to raise money for a wealth of alternative treatments he's considering.
Speaking about Palin, Duguay told The Daily Mail: "I go there at different times.
Ron Duguay and Sarah Palin Are 'So Close'
Duguay and Palin share a close bond, according to the hockey star's daughter.
"I help with her landscaping in the summer, and I help in the winter, clearing a little bit of snow, so I happened to be there in October... but unfortunately, I wasn't feeling myself, so I had to leave."
Duguay’s daughter has told how her father and Palin are "very close," but they "haven't been able to see each other as much lately because of what my dad is going through, and Sarah also has obligations caring for her son, Trig, who requires additional care."
The New York Rangers legend says he lost both his gallbladder and his appendix during the course of his treatment. Given the Stage 4 diagnosis, his cancer requires an extremely intense fight.
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Duguay's family set up a GoFundMe to help pay for his treatment.
After initially setting a goal of $26,000, the family has raised over $111,000 for Duguay from his GoFundMe, meaning finding alternative treatments – including centers in either Mexico, Russia, or Germany – could become a realistic opportunity.
Thomas said: "My dad never wanted to ever mention the stress of his finances. But I could feel it and see it, and the things that he was going through in the conversations that we were having.
"With his numbers jumping up again, we just felt as a family that we needed to reach out. And so many people were asking how they could help."
