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How love, optimism, and the power of the mind helped Dolph Lundgren defeat cancer

When Dolph Lundgren stepped into the ring in Rocky IV back in 1985, he became a household name as the towering, seemingly indestructible Ivan Drago. But decades later, the real fight began—one not staged for cinema but for life itself. And this time, it wasn’t fictional blows that threatened him. It was cancer.

- After battling cancer, Dolph Lundgren (67) enjoys life on Miami's beach with his second wife, Emma Krokdal (29), whom he married in Mykonos in 2023. Pic2- Dolph Lundgren relaxes on the beach and remains extremely fit.

Diagnosed with what doctors initially feared could be terminal, the action hero was told he might only have two or three years to live. The news, he admitted, was a brutal uppercut. Yet here he is in 2025, cancer-free, stronger than ever, and walking hand-in-hand on the shores of Miami Beach with his wife Emma Krokdal—a woman nearly four decades his junior and one of the vital reasons he kept fighting.

At 66, Lundgren has not lost the lean muscle or the steely gaze that first caught Hollywood’s attention. But behind that hardened exterior is a man softened by love, family, and an extraordinary will to survive. In interviews, Dolph credits Emma, now 28, with being one of the “angels” in his corner during his darkest days. Her unwavering support, combined with a deep emotional maturity, helped the Swedish actor weather surgeries and treatments and the fear of what lay ahead.

In 1985, Dolph Lundgren (28) became famous for his role in "Rocky IV."

Their story, often misjudged by those who focus solely on their age gap, is rooted in resilience. Emma had already been through her share of hardship—a difficult divorce and early life experiences that made her older than her years. “She’s very mature for her age,” Dolph told People magazine. “And I consider myself quite youthful.” That balance, perhaps, is what made their bond unbreakable during his cancer journey.

Emma and Dolph live in Los Angeles, where they met.

Married in 2023 on the idyllic Greek island of Mykonos after an eight-year relationship, the couple had delayed their wedding multiple times due to what Dolph simply called “a long journey with challenging medical treatments.” But when he finally announced via Instagram in late 2023 that he was cancer-free, a sigh of relief was shared by fans around the globe. It wasn’t just the end of a health scare but the victory bell after a brutal match.

Emma enjoys the beach as a personal trainer and film actress.

Throughout his recovery, Dolph continued to train, albeit at a gentler pace—five times a week, sometimes swapping push-ups for a deck chair on the sand. The physical regimen, paired with what he calls a “mental reset,” played a crucial role in his healing. More and more, science is validating what Dolph’s journey demonstrates: a strong mindset and emotional support system can powerfully influence medical outcomes. In a review published in Nature Reviews Cancer, researchers point out that stress reduction, a sense of purpose, and emotional connection can improve immune function, potentially aiding recovery.

Emma and Dolph live in Los Angeles, where they met.

For Dolph Lundgren, the science has a face—Emma. Their love story, far from being a Hollywood cliché, is a masterclass in compassion, grit, and mutual respect.

These days, his daughters Ida and Greta have welcomed Emma into their lives like a sister rather than a stepmother. The family unit, once fractured by fear, now moves as one—grateful, tight-knit, and focused on the moments that matter. Dolph may have played villains, soldiers, and cold warriors on screen, but off-screen, he has become something much more heroic: a survivor, a husband, a father, and a man who dared to believe in the healing power of the mind—and the heart.

Dolph finds strength from his wife Emma (2nd from left) and daughters Ida (28, left) and Greta (23) in matching outfits at a 2022 Hollywood premiere.

And so, the Rocky giant doesn’t hide from the sun. He walks with it, basking in the quiet triumph of a battle won not with fists but with love.

In "Rocky IV," Lundgren (right) plays Ivan Drago against Sylvester Stallone (then 39, now 78), marking his 1985 breakthrough.