During her return to Today, Sheinelle Jones addressed her decision to keep husband Uche Ojeh‘s cancer battle private ahead of his death.
“There may be some people who are watching and they’ll say, ‘Why didn’t she share? Why did she hold this for so long?’ And what I will tell you is that Uche was fiercely private,” Jones, 42, said on Friday, September 5. “I chose the spotlight, but he did not. He was not on Instagram, he wasn’t on Facebook.”
Jones recalled Ojeh asking her not to speak publicly about his health issues.
“When he got this diagnosis, he asked me, ‘Please, I wanna handle this privately.’ And he was so protective of us and the kids over the years that it was my turn to be protective,” she added. “And he was so loyal, so it was my turn to be loyal. And we honored that. Now I feel comfortable talking.”
Later in the episode, Jones confirmed that she found out about Ojeh’s diagnosis in November 2023.
“It was a few weeks before I ran the [New York City] marathon. And I know people will say, ‘What?’ But I ran that marathon with that on my shoulders. And little did I know that marathon was going to set me up for a real one,” she said. “I was on television for almost a year with this … I would do the show then go hop in the car and be with him during chemotherapy.”
Jones and Ojeh started dating in the ’90s after meeting at Northwestern University. They got married in 2007 and shared kids Kayin, 15, Clara and Uche, both 12. Jones initially took a leave of absence in December 2024. She explained in a statement one month later how “a family health matter” led to her hiatus.
“I sincerely appreciate all of you who have reached out while I’ve been absent from the show,” she wrote via Instagram in January. “It’s not lost on me how lucky I am to have not only the support of my Today show family, but to also have all of you. Your kindness means so much to me. I’ll see you soon.”
After Jones’ lengthy absence from the Today show, her cohosts Savannah Guthrie, Craig Melvin, Al Roker, Carson Daly, Dylan Dreyer and Jenna Bush Hager announced Ojeh’s death in May.
Today cohost Sheinelle Jones was married to her college sweetheart, Uche Ojeh, for nearly two decades before he died in May 2025. “With profound sadness, we share this morning that Uche Ojeh, the husband of our dear friend and Today cohost Sheinelle Jones, has passed away after a courageous battle with an aggressive form of […]
“With profound sadness, we share this morning that Uche Ojeh, the husband of our friend and Today cohost Sheinelle Jones, has passed away after a courageous battle with an aggressive form of brain cancer called glioblastoma,” a tearful Guthrie said during the live broadcast of the NBC morning show. “There are no words for the pain we feel for Sheinelle and their three young children. Uche was an incredible person. We all loved him. And so we want to take a moment to tell you more about the remarkable man who was Sheinelle’s perfect partner in life.”
Guthrie elaborated at the time, “He was her perfect match; a man whose joyful spirit and quiet strength complemented Sheinelle in every way. “Uche was the kind of person who brought life, warmth and joy to every room. Family, friends, and his deep and abiding faith were always his true north.”
She continued: “He was an enthusiastic soccer player, sang in his church choir and was devoted to his Nigerian heritage, instilling in their children a deep connection to his cultural roots. Today with heavy hearts we celebrate his life. Devoted husband, loving father and a man whose generosity of spirit touched all who knew him.”
