Back in 2010, the music world got to know about Maynard James Keenan and Jennifer Lei Li Keenan’s engagement, starting a long-term relationship that has lasted well over a decade now. The couple, who have always maintained a low profile regarding their personal life, saw a shift in this privacy in recent years due to her health struggles.
A few years ago, Lei Li’s battle with cancer made the headlines, bringing some details of her life into the spotlight.
Cancer Diagnosis
In August 2021, Keenan posted on Instagram, sharing a gallery of her photos for Lei Li’s birthday and making an update about her health condition.
It turns out that the rocker’s wife found a lump in her breast in November 2020, and just before Christmas that year, she was diagnosed with breast cancer. She went through chemotherapy and surgery and was getting radiation treatment around the time of Keenan’s post.
Her Reaction To The News
Keenan’s view of Lei Li during this time was one of admiration. He mentioned that his wife didn’t look for sympathy or get angry but instead focused on her treatment plan. In fact, before starting chemotherapy, the businesswoman cut her hair and began wearing a wig to work, keeping her condition private.
In his Instagram post, Keenan showed a lot of respect for Lei Li, appreciating her for handling her cancer treatment without complaining, by writing:
“She’s successfully navigated both the chemo and the surgery and now begins the radiation. And all without whining or bitching. She is my rock. She is my muse. She is my all. Be like Jen. Happy Birthday, My Love. Cheers to this one and many more.”
Keenan’s Wife And Business Partner
Lei Li isn’t just Keenan’s wife and ‘muse’; she’s also his business partner. Together, they work at Caduceus Cellars Winery, a winemaking business that started in the early 2000s. Lei Li is the lab manager for the company and product designer for her husband’s band, Puscifer.
Here’s how she described herself in her staff bio on the Caduceus website:
“Southern by birth and rebel by choice with an affinity for most things dangerous, it was only natural I found my place in the Verde Valley. Here, since 2004, I have managed to take my dichotomy of extremes and make a living at it: manager of the lab for Caduceus Cellars Winery by day and product development for Puscifer by night. In my spare time, I race cars, design for my product line, Licorice Lust, and hang with my dogs.”
A Mother To A Daughter And A Step-Son
Besides her professional and personal challenges, Lei Li is also a mom. She and Keenan got married in 2012 and had a daughter, Lei Li Agostina Maria, in July 2014. She’s also a stepmom to Keenan’s son from a previous relationship, Devo H. Keenan, who was born in 1995.
