How Sandra Lee Really Feels About Ex Andrew Cuomo
While they may no longer be together, Sandra Lee and New York governor Andrew Cuomo still have quite the close bond. Cuomo has been on the news a lot lately as he manages the coronavirus pandemic in his state, and Lee has been following the coverage closely.
"You know, nobody has a daily routine right now," Lee told The New York Times. "I get up and I see what the latest news is. Of course I watch Andrew live, and then share with him my thoughts."
The couple split up in September after 14 years together, but their friendship endures. Lee revealed that she hasn't seen anyone since splitting up with Cuomo. "He's still my guy," she said. "Neither one of us, well as far as I know, has had a date."
Sandra Lee is still close with Andrew Cuomo's daughters
Lee is also on good terms with Cuomo's daughters, and is helping one of them, Cara, who is assisting her father with relief organization. Lee is doing her part by rounding up donors of personal protective equipment and hand sanitizer. "They're my family, and they always will be my family," she said of Cuomo's children.
The former Food Network star added, "We share a home, we share children, we share friendship. I will protect him and be there for him until the day I die."
Lee is currently sheltering in place in Los Angeles, where she is filming a cooking series for Today from the safety of her own kitchen. Cuomo, for his part, is just as supportive of his ex as she is of him. While he was unavailable for comment, a representative did share a statement with The New York Times: "The Governor wishes her well in her next endeavor and we're sure it will be a success."
Andrew Cuomo helped Sandra Lee through her cancer battle
Lee and Cuomo have been through a lot together over the years. In 2015, Lee was diagnosed with cancer and underwent a double mastectomy. In a speech at the Miami Breast Cancer Conference (via OncLive), she explained why she chose to undergo the procedure instead of fighting the cancer with radiation. Lee's grandmother had breast cancer which went into remission after radiation, but it returned years later. "I wasn't going to count the percentages every year; I wasn't going to live my life wondering when and if, and so I made a very clear decision."
Cuomo was at her side throughout the whole ordeal. "This is about her feeling secure and loved," he told People at time time.
Sandra Lee and Andrew Cuomo first met in 2005
Both Cuomo and Lee were married before finding each other. Lee was married to former chief executive of KB Home, Bruce Karatz. Cuomo's ex-wife is Kerry Kennedy, daughter of Robert F. Kennedy.
The couple met at a party in 2005 and remained devoted to each other in the 14 years following. Their relationship allegedly grew tense after Lee became more outspoken and became an advocate for cancer screening after her mastectomy. Cuomo's office and a spokesperson for Lee, however, denied that Lee becoming more political had caused friction in their relationship.
"Sandra has long believed that the world needs to make more space for love and peace and less strife and anguish," the spokesperson, Dawn Schneider, told The New York Times. "Her values and public profile are in no ways at odds with the governor."
Why did Sandra Lee and Andrew Cuomo break up?
It seems that Lee and Cuomo still have a special connection, so why exactly did the two break up? In a statement released by The New York Times last September, the couple claimed that they had simply drifted apart romantically. "Over the recent past, we have realized that our lives have gone in different directions and our romantic relationship has turned into a deep friendship," they said. "We will always be family and are fully supportive of each other and dedicated to the girls. Our personal lives remain personal and there will be no further comment."
Cuomo's family seemed upset by the news. "Sandy has always been a loving and generous presence in the lives of my three nieces, and our entire family," his sister, Margaret Cuomo, said in a statement. "We all love her dearly. She will remain a sister and extraordinary friend to me, and a cherished aunt to my daughters."
Rumors of a breakup had been swirling for a while, as Lee had been spending more and more time in Los Angeles taking care of her sick aunt and uncle. The couple had also put their home up for sale months before their breakup was announced. Lee has since relocated to Malibu, California.