Sheinelle Jones is taking a major step in her grief journey.
Nearly a year after the Today host took a sabbatical from the daytime series, she has returned to Studio 1A Sept. 5 following the announcement of her husband Uche Ojeh’s death in May.
During her emotional return, she also shared why she and Uche kept his cancer battle private before her absence and his passing.
“There may be some people who are watching and they say, you know, why didn’t she share? Like, why did she hold this for so long?” Sheinelle shared while surrounded by her Today family. “And what I will tell you is that Uche was seriously private. I chose the spotlight, but he did not…and when he got this diagnosis, he asked me, please, like, I want to handle this privately. And he was so protective of us, the kids, over the years that it was my turn to be protective, and he was so loyal. So it was my turn to be loyal, and we honored that. And so that is why now I feel comfortable talking.”
Sheinelle—mom to kids Kayin, 16, and twins Uche and Clara, 13—stepped back from her role on Today in December 2024 following Uche’s diagnosis with glioblastoma. Months later, Uche’s death was confirmed in a May 23 episode of Today. He was just 45.
“In this moment, I’m okay, day to day, I’m okay,” Sheinelle shared during her first sitdown interview with Savannah Guthrie. “From a macro picture, how am I doing? My heart is shattered. My heart is shattered in a million pieces. 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,” she added, “and they’ve lost their dad, and I’m their mom. It sucks…I’m proud of my kids for how we’ve been able to try to pull through. But it’s horrible. It’s just horrible, but I’m here, I’m breathing and I’m okay.”
Sheinelle’s return to Today was confirmed earlier this week, Sept. 2, by colleagues Savannah and Craig Melvin. Leading up to her return, Savannah noted that she had spent time with her fellow host to check in amid her grieving journey.
“We recently sat down together and shared a really personal conversation, talking about how she has carried on and found strength these past few months,” Savannah explained during the Sept. 2 broadcast. “She calls this experience a ‘beautiful nightmare.’ She has thoughts on grief that are so touching, she’s got a special message of hope too for anyone facing their own struggles.”
“There are no words for the pain that we feel for Sheinelle and their three young children,” Savannah shared at the time. “Uche was an incredible person. We all loved him.”
In a video tribute shared for Uche during the broadcast, they referred to the consultant and Sheinelle—who were married for 17 years after meeting during their college years at Northwestern University—as a “perfect match.”
“They had such a beautiful love story,” Craig, who noted he would golf occasionally with Uche, said at the time. “One thing he always talked about—he talked about those kids. He loved those kids more than anything else in this world, and was just so proud.”
Prior to her return to Today, Sheinelle only shared a brief message for the outpouring of love for her husband and her family. As she noted in an Instagram post shortly after her husband’s death was confirmed, “Thank you, for all of your love and support.”
Keep reading for a deeper look into Sheinelle and Uche’s love story…
Life Partners
Sheinelle Jones often spoke about how she met her husband Uche Ojeh while giving him a tour of campus at Northwestern University when she was just 19.
As Savannah Guthrie noted in Today’s May 23 tribute to the consultant, he was a “remarkable man who was Sheinelle’s perfect partner in life.”
Dedicated to Faith
Throughout his battle with glioblastoma, the Today anchors emphasized that Uche was devoted to his faith as well as his Nigerian heritage. In a post from 2021, Sheinelle shared that all three of their kids dressed in “native Nigerian wear” for their baptism.
That Guy
As the father of kids Kayin, and younger twins Clara and Uche Jr., Uche put his family first.
“He loved those kids more than anything else in this world,” Craig Melvin emphasized in Today’s tribute. “He was just so proud. He was that dad that was on the sidelines of every soccer game, all of the concerts, recitals. He was that guy.”
A “Humble Man”
During Today’s broadcast, Al Roker noted that while Uche was quiet, he was “wickedly funny,” adding, “He was a humble man.”
Biggest Supporter
In a birthday tribute to Uche in 2021, Sheinelle emphasized that her late husband was always by her side.
“When I put in his picture and click ‘search’ on my iPhone … pretty much ALL of the pics, are of him by my side,” she explained on Instagram. “And/or helping the kids with homework, music or soccer lessons. I am truly thankful to be on this journey with such a beautiful human being.”
Going the Distance
In the Today segment honoring Uche, Savannah emphasized that Sheinelle and Uche overcame obstacles including long distance to make their romance work. And for Sheinelle, it was all worth it. As she wrote in a tribute post to Uche in 2022, “You caught my eye when I was 19 years old …. and here we are.”
Warriors
Amid their hardest battle together, Savannah emphasized that both Sheinelle and Uche were “warriors.”
As Savannah emphasized, Uche was “a man whose joyful spirit and quiet strength complemented Sheinelle in every way.”
Saying Goodbye
In a post following the segment announcing Uche’s tragic death, Sheinelle wrote, “Thank you, for all of your love and support.”
