The lovebirds first shared two years of dating affair and got engaged in September 2013. Its cancer. Jay never really had any symptoms of colon cancer, other than being tired all of the time, which we chalked up to a busy lifestyle, having young children, and his coast-to-coast trips providing legal analysis for NBC, she said. "I remember being young and thinking I never wanted to be beholden to a man or a partner for my financial security. ', Revealing her breast cancer diagnosis, the journalist wrote in her essay, I headed to the office of my breast radiologist, Dr. Susan Drossman, with the intention of recording the screening to share with my audience.. In the years since, Katie Couric has become a vocal cancer activist,co-foundingStand Up To Cancer, as well as the National Colorectal Cancer Research Alliance and the Jay Monahan Center for Gastrointestinal Health (via People). Colon cancer rates in adults under 50 have been rising since the mid-80s, the ACS says, and younger age groups have seen the sharpest increases. Twenty years after he died from colon cancer, Katie Couric is remembering her late husband Jay Monahan. Jay Monahan was an accomplished athlete in college. Similarly, in 2002, she signed a new contract worth over65 millionfor 4 1/2 with NBC news. As many of you know, in 1998, I lost my husband, Jay, to colon cancer. Time and the support of her loved ones has helped Couric heal. "If I was doing a cooking segment, I couldn't be thinking about, you know, Jay's latest scan. There was a fake report about Monahan's death and many internet spaces were talking about his funeral. Oops, we were unable to send the email. For an optimal experience visit our site on another browser. This flower has been reported and will not be visible while under review. He and Couric were married for nine years and had two children together, Carrie and Ellie. Couric's husband of nine years passed away on Jan. 24, 1998. Although the Today host regrets how she protected her sick husband at the time, she acknowledged to Health, "I just didn't want to give up hope for him, for me, and for our girls. Just two years later, Jay Monahan died at the age of 42 of colon cancer. "Jay's mom didn't work and his father was the breadwinner," says Couric. Monahan passed away from colon cancer at the age of 42. He worked with the media houses, helping them decipher the nitty-gritty of major cases such as the O.J. "I hope you would be proud of the way I've lived my life & know you'd be proud of your girls who have grown into. You can always change this later in your Account settings. I hope so. Translation on Find a Grave is an ongoing project. Katie Couric's first husband Jay Monahan died of colon cancer in 1998. Katie's first husband Jay, full name John Paul Monahan, tragically passed away at age 42 from colon cancer in 1998. Kerry Breen is a reporter and associate editor forTODAY.com, where she reports on health news, pop culture and more.