Music legend Barry Manilow reveals lung cancer diagnosis at 82, family includes longtime husband Garry Keif and stepdaughter Kristen
Barry Manilow,82, was diagnosed with lung cancer. Long-time husband Garry Keif and stepdaughter are his family(Photo by Richard Shotwell/Invision/AP, File)(Richard Shotwell/Invision/AP)
Manilow shared the news on social media on December 22, 2025, saying doctors found a cancerous spot on his left lung after an MRI and plan to remove it surgically.
Manilow has by his side his longtime lover and husband, Garry Keif, whom he married in 2014.
Manilow has no children of his own; however, Keif’s daughter Kristen was raised by both Manilow and Keif. In 2023, Manilow announced that the two of them had become grandparents after Kristen adopted her first baby.
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Manilow’s family and children
Despite his long and public life in music, Manilow does not have biological children of his own.
Manilow, however, has been part of a loving family for decades through his longtime relationship with his manager and husband. Manilow and Keif met in 1978 and eventually married in 2014 after same-sex marriage became legal in California.
Keif’s daughter, Kristen Keif, from a previous relationship, whom Manilow has helped raise since the early years of their partnership. Although not his biological child, Barry has played a supportive paternal role in Kirsten’s life. He said in an interview with Michael Cavacini, “Garry and I have been together going on 40 years, and we raised a daughter.”
Manilow’s family expanded in 2023 through Kristen’s adoption of a daughter. The pop icon has spoken fondly of his role as a grandparent and told PEOPLE, “I’ve never, ever thought about having a baby or having anything to do with [being] a father or any of that. I’m watching this little girl—she’s 2½—grow up and learn. This is a brand-new experience for me, and I really am enjoying it.”
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Early detection of cancer offers hope
Following a protracted case of bronchitis lasting more than two months, lung cancer was discovered. Manilow’s doctor performed an MRI because he was worried about persistent symptoms, and the results showed that he had a malignant lesion on his left lung.
Manilow wrote in his Instagram post, “Even though I was over the bronchitis and back on stage at the Westgate Las Vegas, my wonderful doctor ordered an MRI just to make sure that everything was OK.”
Manilow added, “The MRI discovered a cancerous spot on my left lung that needs to be removed. It’s pure luck (and a great doctor) that it was found so early. That’s the good news.”
He added, “The doctors do not believe it has spread, and I’m taking tests to confirm their diagnosis. So that’s it. No chemo. No radiation. Just chicken soup and ‘I Love Lucy’ reruns.”
