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Who is Mike Enzi's wife? Ex-senator dies in bike accident, leaving behind cancer survivor spouse

'She has supported me more than anyone can truly comprehend. I couldn’t have done it without her,' Mike Enzi once said about Diana Enzi

Former Wyoming Senator Mike Enzi has died after sustaining severe injuries from a bicycle accident last week. News of his death was announced on Monday, July 26, via a statement shared from ex-Senator's personal Twitter account. Late on Monday night, Enzi's family said in the post: "Former Wyoming US Senator Mike Enzi died peacefully today surrounded by his family. His family expresses their deep appreciation for all of the prayers, support and concern. They now ask for privacy and continued prayers during this difficult time.”

The family also added that a memorial event, which they called a “celebration of a life well-lived”, is currently in the works to honor Enzi who worked as Wyoming senator from 1997 until his death this year. Enzi met with the tragic accident on Friday, July 23, while he was riding a bike near his home in Gillette, Wyoming, where he had lived since the '70s. But his stay in the town was marked largely by his marriage with Diana Enzi, with whom he had moved to Gillette shortly after tying the knot in 1969.

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Who is Mike Enzi's wife?

Mike Enzi married Diana, then Buckley, on June 7, 1969. The couple went on to have two daughters, Amy and Emily, and a son, Brad. Although Diana doesn't have personal social media accounts, she has been credited as a 14-year colon cancer survivor by countless health organizations, for whom she has also addressed audiences speaking about her journey with the illness. The National Jobs Corp Association also paid tribute to Enzi's wife, describing her as "a dedicated & respected member of the NJCA Board" in a January tweet, announcing that she was "moving on from her role." They added: "Her commitment to education for young people has made a great impact on many students’ lives! Join us in saying thank you to Diana! Read about her accomplishments."

Shortly after their wedding, Enzi and Diana moved to Gillette where the then businessman worked on expanding his father's shoe sale business called NZ Shoes. As a young business owner, Enzi saw success with store locations opening up in Sheridan, and also in Miles City, Montana but his ultimate goal was achieved when he became the president of the Wyoming chapter of the United States Junior Chamber, all the while with Diana by his side. 

Enzi was elected the mayor of Gillette in 1974 when he was just 30 years old. He served until 1982, for two consecutive terms, and his tenure also saw the city double in size. But years later, Enzi addressed the inception of this mayoral dream and how long before he actually became the mayor, he had expressed aspirations to wife Diana. In a 2020 tweet shared the very next day after Enzi retired on December 2, the ex-senator shared gratitude towards his wife of 50 years, Diana, writing: "I especially owe thanks to my wife Diana. It has been a long journey since I first told her I was thinking of running for Mayor of Gillette 50 years ago. She has supported me more than anyone can truly comprehend. In no uncertain terms, I couldn’t have done it without her."

Enzi had followed it up with another tweet, where he wrote: "It has been more than 50 amazing years together, and I look forward to our next adventure together." Unfortunately, just seven months later, their marital bliss came to a halt when Enzi met with his bike accident last week. Enzi was reportedly riding the bike when something went awry and the politician was left badly injured. He had to be flown to the UCHealth Medical Center of the Rockies in Loveland, Colorado, where he succumbed to his injuries just three days later. Enzi, who was elected to the senate in 1996, decided not to seek reelection in 2020 and retired instead. He is survived by his wife Diana, their three children, and four other grandchildren.