>> reporter: he had a story book romance with his wife, his high school sweetheart. the two converted to mormonism together when they married. >> she had a pair of levis. man, that looked so good. >> that's amazing. >> but it's true. >> reporter: in january 2015, reid, a workout addict who ran numerous marathons, had a brutal exercise accident that left him severely bruised and blind in one eye. is cemented his decision to retire. a few years later, he was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer. the effects of chemo made it hard for him to walk. we went to see him in las vegas. >> that's one of my keepsakes from donald trump. >> reporter: never any complaints. >> i'm doing fine. i'm busy. i work quite hard. >> reporter: reid was an unlikely political leader in today's media age. soft-spoken and gaffe prone. but he played inside game like no one could. >> i didn't make it in life