NEW YORK — Kyle Richards is beaming with happiness about the latest developments in friend and former "Real Housewives of Beverly Hills" costar Teddi Mellencamp's health journey.

"She's cancer-free, which is amazing," Richards tells USA TODAY. "That was just the best call you could ever hear in your life."

Richards also said Mellencamp is one of the former "Housewives" she would bring back onto the show in a heartbeat. The two became fast friends on the show with Mellencamp's debut in Season 8, and they've supported each other in the trying times since Mellencamp exited the show as a main cast member in 2020 after Season 10. (Original castmember Richards returns for Season 15 of "RHOBH," which premiered on Bravo Thursday.)

Mellencamp, 44, revealed in 2022 that she was diagnosed with stage 4 melanoma, and earlier in 2025 announced it had metastasized to her lungs and brain, with tumors spread across both. In 2024, she also shared she and husband Edwin Arroyave were divorcing after 13 years of marriage, though the two have since hit pause on the divorce during her cancer treatment. Mellencamp shares four kids with Arroyave: Slate, 13, Cruz, 10, and Dove, 5, plus stepdaughter Bella.

Richards and husband Mauricio Umansky also announced they were separating in 2023 after 27 years of marriage.

In October, Mellencamp said there was "no detectable cancer" in her body, but she'll remain "on immunotherapy for another year" and is "not considered in remission or anything like that."

Richards has remained a constant in her friend's life through her cancer battle. "She's giving me pep talks, too," Richards, 56, says, "so we're there for each other for sure."

"She has hard days where she feels very down where she doesn't have the energy," Richards says, "and then other days she pulls it together, and she's great."

Richards points to Mellencamp's podcast with a fellow housewife "Orange County" veteran Tamra Judge, "Two Ts In A Pod," as a bright spot. "She's doing her podcast, still killing it with that and still working, but it's hard. It's hard. Even though she's cancer-free now, now she's trying to get her life back."

"I am really proud of her," Richards says. Mellencamp "was really nervous to go to BravoCon because she said, 'Well, you know what if I don't have the energy?' And I said, 'Everyone gets the energy once you're in Vegas, it's contagious, you're going to be fine. We're going to have fun. Let's do this.'"

At Bravo's 2025 fan convention, Mellencamp hit the red carpet and appeared on a panel with fellow "Housewives" stars, sharing on social media that she felt "overwhelmed with love."

Mellencamp, the daughter of singer-songwriter John Cougar Mellencamp, updated USA TODAY on her health progress in May.

"I'm feeling positive, but I also would say that my mood and my overall energy level shifts by the hour," she said. "There's moments of fear and there's moments of whatever, but as long as I'm moving my body and taking action, then I seem to be in a more positive mindset."

Contributing: David Oliver, USA TODAY

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Kyle Richards details 'best call' about Teddi Mellencamp being cancer-free

Reporting by Anika Reed, USA TODAY / USA TODAY

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