New York, NY – Sheinelle Jones returned to her role co-hosting the third hour of NBC’s “Today” show Friday, offering a deeply emotional reflection on the loss of her husband, Uche Ojeh. The appearance followed the announcement in May that Ojeh, a 45-year-old triathlete and father of three, passed away after a courageous battle with glioblastoma, an aggressive form of brain cancer.
During the segment, Jones, visibly moved, shared her ongoing struggle to cope with the devastating loss. “In this moment, I’m OK. Day-to-day, I’m OK. From a macro picture, how am I doing? My heart is shattered in a million pieces,” she confessed to co-host Savannah Guthrie. “The life that I’ve known since I was 19 is no more. I always wanted kids, and I have three kids of my own now and they lost their dad. I’m their mom, and it sucks. So, how am I doing? It’s day-to-day. I’m proud of myself for how I’ve coped so far. I’m proud of my kids for how we’ve been able to pull through, but it’s horrible.”
Jones explained that her time away from the show in December 2024 was due to a “family health matter,” ultimately stemming from Ojeh’s diagnosis. “Little did I know that marathon would set me up for a real one,” she recalled, referencing the New York City Marathon she completed shortly before Ojeh’s diagnosis. “It was ‘one foot in front of the other, one step at a time. This was so hard, I can’t take another step. Yes, you can.’”
Colleagues have rallied around Jones, with many expressing their support and acknowledging the profound impact of Ojeh’s loss. “We tend to say, ‘Oh, I know what you’re going through. I know what you’re feeling.’ Nobody knows unless you’ve actually been in that,” said Al Roker, a fellow “Today” host. “So, we’re there. We just want to be there and pay tribute to the wonderful person that Uche was and still will be because he’s going to live on in those kids and live in all our memories.”
Jones’s co-hosts have also offered their support, with Dylan Dreyer stating, “I’ve reached out. I don’t want to push too hard. There’s just a lot of things that she must be juggling right now. I mean, I don’t know the right words besides, ‘I’m here. Whenever you need a hug, let me know. I’ll be there in a second.’ And, I mean, I pray for her every night.”
The emotional appearance underscored the enduring bond between Jones and Ojeh, and the widespread grief felt by those who knew him. The “Today” show continues to offer support to Jones as she navigates this incredibly difficult time.