Sarah Palin mourns Ron Duguay: 'Love never ends,' she writes after the former Rangers star's death

Former Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin is mourning her longtime partner, Ron Duguay, the former New York Rangers forward whose death from cancer at age 69 was announced Thursday, Oct. 22.

“It’s with a shattered heart, but also deep peace knowing Ron is with Jesus now,” Palin wrote on X. “He fought so hard. Love never ends.”

Who was Sarah Palin’s boyfriend?

Duguay was one of the most recognizable hockey players of the late 1970s and early ’80s. The Rangers picked him 13th overall in the 1977 draft, and he played his first six seasons in New York, becoming an All-Star in 1981-82, The Associated Press reported. Trades later took him to the Detroit Red Wings, Pittsburgh Penguins and Los Angeles Kings, with a second stint in New York, before he finished his playing days in Germany and the minor leagues.

Late in life, he was known away from hockey for his relationship with Palin, the 2008 Republican vice presidential nominee, the AP noted. HuffPost described him as her longtime boyfriend; the two appeared together at a July 2022 rally in Anchorage.

How did Ron Duguay die?

Duguay had been battling colon cancer, according to reporting cited by HuffPost. Days before his death, Palin shared a post from his bedside telling followers that prayers for him were “appreciated.” The AP reported his family had started a GoFundMe earlier this year to help with the costs of travel and treatment.

The Rangers called him “one of the most popular players in franchise history” in a statement. “Ron’s signature skating style — with his hair flowing as he moved down the ice — captivated the (Madison Square) Garden faithful,” the team said.

Why is Cher part of the story?

As fans revisited Duguay’s colorful life, an old anecdote resurfaced. In a 2019 New York Post podcast interview, recounted by the Toronto Sun, Duguay described meeting Cher at Studio 54 after a Rangers win in January 1982. He said the two danced, then left for Gene Simmons’ townhouse, where Cher told him they weren’t “doing anything tonight.” “Next thing you know, we’re sitting on his bed. And that’s where the story stops,” he said.

The story fit his reputation as a 1980s New York celebrity as much as a hockey player, a side of his life that drew renewed attention after his death.

FAQ

What did Sarah Palin say about Ron Duguay? She wrote that her heart was “shattered” but that she felt “deep peace knowing Ron is with Jesus now,” adding, “He fought so hard. Love never ends.”

How old was Ron Duguay? He was 69.

What team did Ron Duguay play for? Mostly the New York Rangers, plus the Red Wings, Penguins and Kings.

For more on his career and his family’s tributes, see our earlier coverage.

Earlier coverage: Ron Duguay, popular Rangers forward and Sarah Palin's partner, dies at 69 after cancer battle (Oct 22)