Claim:
Dr. Seuss was accused of cheating his sick wife into killing herself by having an affair and marrying another lover before leaving them both behind to marry his lover later on in his career.
What’s True
Helen Palmer was Theodor Geisel’s first wife; however she took her life due to years of health complications. Less than one year after Helen Palmer passed, and just days before Audrey Dimond (nee Stone) divorced from her first spouse; Geisel married Audrey Dimond as an alternative option.
What Is Unknown (What are Uncertain/Pending Events?
Snopes could not confirm Helen Palmer had cancer; nor could we obtain statements from those involved to establish whether Theodor Geisel began a romantic relationship with Dimond during Palmer’s illness and whether the affair contributed directly to Palmer’s demise.
If you or anyone close to you is facing mental health, suicide, substance use crisis or emotional distress, please reach out 24/7 to the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline (formerly the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline). Call, text or chat 988 or visit suicidepreventionlifeline.org in order to connect with a trained crisis counselor who can offer support services.
Dr. Seuss — more commonly known by his nickname — allegedly committed adultery with Helen Palmer in September 2024, according to reports on social media.
In its claim against Geisel, Palmer claimed his affair caused his suicide before marrying Audrey Dimond Stone (nee Geisel).
Reddit user @Chepster detailed it further: Dr. Seuss was accused of cheating while his wife was sick with cancer for 13 years and ultimately committed suicide because of it; later he married their mistress instead.
On Reddit and YouTube videos posted since 2016, these claims further underscore how Palmer’s affair was directly responsible for her suicide.
Although Palmer committed suicide and Geisel soon married Audrey Dimond shortly thereafter, the motivations are unclear. According to “Dr. Seuss & Mr. Geisel: A Biography”, Palmer left behind an elaborate suicide note detailing their thoughts in regards to Audrey Dimond which could explain much of what transpired between these events.
Dear Ted, What has come of our relationship? I don’t know. I feel trapped in an endless cycle, slowly sliding deeper and deeper into darkness with no escape and no hope in sight – all around I hear failure, failure failure. Yet somehow we seem entwined; too old and interwoven so completely with you for life to exist without you; my leaving would surely create quite the stir but you could say my work overloaded you too much; your fans won’t take issue if that ever becomes necessary… Just think back on all of fun we shared over time and remember the laughs…
Although her writing could suggest otherwise, there’s no hard evidence for Palmer’s actions at that time – all involved parties having now passed on — Palmer was dead by 1967, Geisel in 1991 and Audrey Geisel died last year – therefore making any conclusions impossible to know with absolute certainty.
Donald Pease’s book on Theodor Geisel and Palmer was called, “Theodor Geisel: Portrait of a Man Who Became Dr. Seuss”. Walter Retan noted of their relationship: ‘They shared so many qualities; however they often drove each other mad. Helen wasn’t feeling well which may have depressed Ted.”
As far as cancer was concerned, no evidence existed. Other health conditions in her lifetime are well known to exist.
She contracted polio as a child, which may have contributed to later health complications. Palmer underwent the removal of both of her ovaries due to unknown abdominal pain in the early 1930s; then in 1950s suffered Guillain-Barre syndrome which often lead to rapid paralysis that was often fatal before iron lungs existed; Geisel spent weeks helping Palmer in her iron lung before they ultimately recovered though she still experienced chronic discomfort after recovering physically.
According to one of Palmer’s neighbors, she became increasingly disabled from residual effects of her polio infection – especially one which worried her greatly: She may have gone blind!
Peggy Geisel was Geisel’s niece; as such she knew of Helen Geisel’s deteriorating health due to paralysis; Peggy later said “whatever Helen did, she did so out of love for Ted”.
Julie Olfe, an employee of the Geisels, stated that Palmer’s death “was her parting gift to him”.
Pease’s book states further: With Helen’s illness back again in 1964, Geisel quickly transferred his primary sense of belonging onto another family: Audrey Stone Dimond’s husband Grey Dimond of Scripps Hospital’s Cardiology Clinic as well as their two daughters Lark and Lea were his new primary emotional attachment. These Dimonds moved in many of the same circles as him and enjoyed each others company. Geisel dedicated “Fox in Socks” Beginner Book to Audrey of Mount Soledad Lingual Laboratory while another year later “The Cat in Hat Songbook”. Geisel soon replaced Helen as his primary emotional attachment;
No date can be identified when exactly this affair began; however, according to a letter written by Geisel in May 1968 after Palmer died (seven months after it may have begun), suggesting its start.
On June 21st Audrey Dimond will travel to Reno to file for divorce… Audrey and I plan to marry around August’s first week; my two daughters from Audrey will join my household; as such I am rebuilding it to accommodate this change; also at 64 I’m marrying someone eighteen years younger… This decision did not happen spontaneously and is neither drastic or sudden in nature… it represents an inevitable conclusion of five years’ of four people’s frustration – so please try believing me!
Geisel and Dimond wed on Aug. 5, 1968 at a courthouse in Reno, Nevada; as reported in The New York Times’ profile of Audrey Geisel on November 29th 2000:
Audrey Dimond was married with two daughters when she met Ted Geisel – 18 years her senior, also married – who eventually led to Helen Geisel taking her own life after their affair began causing, according to Mrs. Geisel, “an earthquake-sized ripple in La Jolla community”. Audrey Dimond divorced her husband to marry Ted (64), sending both daughters away for schooling immediately thereafter.
Given these findings, it seems probable that Geisel and Dimond engaged in romantic relations prior to Palmer’s death and Dimond’s divorce; however, we could find no direct quotes from either party providing evidence supporting this allegation of romance; therefore we gave this claim an “unsure rating.”
Snopes has also examined other claims surrounding Dr. Seuss, such as whether his drawings portrayed racist imagery; whether his political cartoons stirred controversy; and whether or not Kurt Vonnegut attended school alongside Dr. Seuss.
