They have a daughter, Abigail Tufts. In 2009, he was diagnosed with multiple myeloma. He underwent pill-based and liquid chemotherapy and reached a recovery point at which he could undergo and autologous stem cell transplant. As of May 2010, he was in almost complete remission. Tufts was a patient advocate and founder of My Life Is Worth It. He was an active speaker and frequently tweeted about issues regarding the need to involve patients more in the healthcare process. Tufts died on October 4, 2019, from an infection brought on by complications from a stem cell transplant on August 23. He was 63. He was buried in Beth Israel Cemetery in Woodbridge Township, New Jersey.