Sheinelle Jones returns to Today for first time since husband’s death: ‘My heart was shattered in a million pieces’

TODAY Show’s Sheinelle opened up about her husband Uche Ojeh’s death on her first day back on air after her family’s heartbreaking loss.

The beloved Today anchor sat down for an interview in which she opened up to fellow host Savannah Guthrie about the emotionally challenging time she and her family endured during her leave from the show.

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Sheinelle Jones returned to the Today Show on Friday after having been away from her hosting duties since DecemberCredit: NBC

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Sheinelle opened up about her husband Uche Ojeh’s heartbreaking death from brain cancer in an emotional interview on TodayCredit: Instagram/sheinelle_o

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Today Show’s Sheinelle wiped away tears as she opened up about her husband’s death and her family’s grieving on her first day back on airCredit: NBC
Sheinelle, 47, who has been absent from Today since December of last year to support her family during her late husband Uche Ojeh’s courageous battle with brain cancer, returned to her regular hosting duties on Friday.

Tragically, Uche passed away in May at the age of 45, leaving behind their three children: her 16-year-old son Kayin and 13-year-old twins, Clara and Uche.

In Today’s emotional sit-down interview, Savannah first asked Sheinelle how she is doing.

“You start with the hardest question. In this moment, I’m okay, day to day, I’m okay 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,” she said.

“I’ve always wanted kids, and I have three kids of my own now, and they’ve lost their dad and I’m their mom. It sucks. So how am I doing? You know, it’s day to day. I’m proud of myself for how I’ve done so far.”

“I’m proud of my kids for how we’ve been able to try to pull through. But it’s, it’s horrible, it’s just horrible. I’m here, I’m breathing and I’m okay, I’m okay. It’s a nightmare,” she said.

Savannah then asked Sheinelle about a phrase she’s used over the past several months.

“You’ve said to me a lot over these months, sometimes it’s a ‘beautiful nightmare,’ and when you say that, what do you mean?” Savanna asked.

“Everybody knows by now, Uche and I were college sweethearts,” Sheinelle explained before describing their dorm’s gorgeous view of the clock tower at Northwestern.

She said she and Uche would “just talk and dream, and sometimes just not talk and fast-forward almost 30 years.

“I’m sitting in this beautiful, beautiful hospital room, and we were looking at this beautiful view in New York City.

Today anchor Sheinelle Jones’ husband Uche Ojeh dead at 45 after health battle
“Here we are, again not talking, and I remember staring at the window, and I’m like, Oh my God, it’s this crazy full circle moment. Here we are again, not talking, and it feels like a beautiful nightmare,” she said poignantly.

Sheinelle said when he was first diagnosed, she believed Oche would pull through.

“I had my faith, and you couldn’t tell me that he wasn’t going to beat it, I believed that he was going to be okay.

“I knew it was going to be tough, but we all believed he would be fine – and I got to that place where I didn’t know what tomorrow would bring.”

She explained it was the uncertainty of day-to-day, as her husband’s cancer progressed, that she decided to step away from the Today Show back in December.

“When I decided to take a leave, that was why, because I didn’t know what tomorrow would bring, and I was starting to feel like I didn’t want to miss it. I didn’t want to look back.

“I wanted to be strong and I wanted to look back and know that I was strong, but I didn’t want to be so strong that I missed this blessing right in front of me.

“That I missed the fight, that I missed the beauty in the fight, that I missed just looking in his eyes because I was his oxygen,” she added.

Sheinelle also said that she struggled with her faith during his battle, but that it was her faith that ultimately pulled her through.

ON HER FAITH THROUGH GRIEF

“I can easily understand why, when people go through something like this, they turn away from their faith,” she said.

The veteran journalist said she had prayed for her job at Today since she was in the fifth grade, and that she would think “You got me all the way here, and you take my….” she said, through tears.

She continued, “Are you kidding me? Like, really? What did I do? Why me? There can’t be a god. Like, no way a guy would do that to somebody like Sheinelle. There’s no way, right?”

The journalist said, however, watching her husband keep his faith helped her, too.

“I watched him in his toughest moments; his faith is what gave him peace. And so I think, okay, if Uche can have faith when his life is on the line, surely I can, and surely we all can.”

She also explained that Uche was extremely private, and despite her job being in the spotlight, he didn’t want to share his battle with cancer publicly, and so she honored his wishes by not sharing his battle till now.

ON GRIEF

She also said that having three children to be strong for has made the grieving process all the more complicated.

“There are times where if I could just stay in bed, keep the door closed, not answer my phone and just sit it would be amazing. I can’t do that because I have three little beings who are watching me.

“No one gives you a manual on grief, and there really are no rules about it. It comes at unexpected times and places.”

Sheinelle beautifully explained “Grief is like wave, and what I’ve told my kids, the rain can’t last forever.

“So when the rain comes, in some ways, I’ve learned to just look up at the rain and let it be a cleansing rain, and let it clear the air, so I don’t run away from crying anymore.

“When it comes to grief, I see it as like, okay, here comes my cleansing rain, and it’s okay,” she said.

Sheinelle said it is her duty to honor her husband by finding joy again in life.

“So if you see me now, you see me laughing and you turn on the morning show and I’m laughing or having a good time, you root for me because I’m fighting for my joy.”

Today then cut to Sheinelle live with her co-anchors together, and she profusely thanked her morning show family.

She also credited the doctors, who she called a dream team at New York University Hospital, as well as Hudson Valley Hospice, which took such great care of not only Uche but also Sheinelle and her children at the end.

Sources have previously noted that the Today team “has been extremely supportive” of the beloved journalist during her time away as she navigated this heartbreaking loss.

The news of Sheinelle’s return was revealed on Tuesday, as the veteran journalist’s co-anchors made the announcement on air.

Savannah said, “This Friday, our beloved Sheinelle will be returning to the show.

“She and her family have been through so much after the devastating loss of her husband Uche.”

HEARTBREAKING TRAGEDY

On 23 May, Sheinelle’s Today colleagues tearfully announced that her husband of 17 years, Uche Ojeh, had passed away following a brave and private battle with brain cancer.

“With profound sadness, we share this morning that Uche Ojeh, the husband of our friend and Today co-host Sheinelle Jones, has passed away after a courageous battle with an aggressive form of brain cancer called glioblastoma,” Savannah told viewers.

“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.”

Now that Sheinelle is back at the anchor desk, there is a chance her responsibilities may change.

NEW ROLE?

As The U.S. Sun previously exclusively revealed first back in February and again earlier this week, the anchor is being eyed for a job that would see her helm the fourth hour of Today alongside Jenna Bush Hager.

The beloved anchor is a favorite among show staff and execs to fill the late morning spot, which was vacated by Hoda Kotb when she stepped away from the morning show in January.

Sources now reveal that with her official return, Sheinelle is being strongly considered as Hoda’s permanent replacement alongside Jenna on what is currently titled Today With Jenna and Friends.

An insider shared that Sheinelle is the ideal fit for the show, which is currently being co-hosted by the less-experienced Jenna.

Execs are also said to be looking at NBC’s own Willie Geist, and popular podcaster and actor Matt Rogers.

LIFE ON HOLD

While Sheinelle privately handled she and her family’s grieving, her book release was delayed twice.

The Today host’s book, Through Mom’s Eyes, is now set to be officially released on 10 February 2026, according to publisher Penguin Random House.

Originally, the book was slated for release on 15 April 2025 but was later rescheduled to 21 October.

Sheinelle spoke with the mothers of Lady Gaga, Jessica Simpson, The Jonas Brothers, Venus and Serena Williams, and several other famous figures for the book.

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Sheinelle thanked her Today family for supporting her during her leave during her first day backCredit: NBC

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Sheinelle stepped away from Today to care for her 3 children, Kayin & twins, Clara and Uche, amid her husband, Uche’s devastating battle with brain cancerCredit: Instagram/sheinelle_o