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Sheinelle Jones spoke out about her husband’s death during an emotional return to the “Today” show on Friday.

The television personality, 47, joined her friend and colleague Savannah Guthrie, 53, to give her first interview since Uche Ojeh died from brain cancer in May.

“It’s a beautiful nightmare,” Jones said. “My heart is shattered in a million pieces. The life that I’ve known since I was 19 is no more. 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.”

Jones recalled how she and Ojeh used to dream of their future as college sweethearts in their dorm, and then how years later they remained at each other’s side from his New York City hospital room.


  Sheinelle Jones in a pretaped interview with Savannah Guthrie on Sept. 5, 2025. NBC Sheinelle Jones in a pretaped interview with Savannah Guthrie on Sept. 5, 2025. NBC

  Sheinelle Jones broke down in tears as she spoke with Savannah Guthrie about her late husband on Sept. 5, 2025. NBC Sheinelle Jones broke down in tears as she spoke with Savannah Guthrie about her late husband on Sept. 5, 2025. NBC

“I remember staring out the window, and I’m like, oh, my God, it’s like this crazy, full-circle moment,” she told Guthrie in the pretaped sit-down. “Here we are again, not talking, and it feels like a beautiful nightmare.”

“It felt scary. It felt divine. It felt bigger than us,” she explained of his health battle. “But at the end of the day, when we shut the door and it was just us, that was always when we felt like we were at our best. And my 19-year-old self did it, and then my 47-year-old self was doing it again. We would just hold hands, and the nurses would come in, and they would call us the lovebirds. And we would just look at each other, say ‘I love you,’ and hold hands. But that’s what I mean by beautiful nightmare.”

“I found beauty in the nightmare. And trust me, it is a nightmare to watch a 45-year-old do two triathlons and live and breathe off of soccer and his kids…to take a guy like that and watch him have to deal with this fight was a nightmare,” she went on.


  Savannah Guthrie and Sheinelle Jones’ pretaped interview before Jones officially returned to “Today” on Sept. 5, 2025. NBC Savannah Guthrie and Sheinelle Jones’ pretaped interview before Jones officially returned to “Today” on Sept. 5, 2025. NBC

  Sheinelle Jones reunited with her “Today” colleagues months after her husband’s death on Sept. 5, 2025. NBC Sheinelle Jones reunited with her “Today” colleagues months after her husband’s death on Sept. 5, 2025. NBC

Jones worked at “Today” for nearly a year while she privately took care of her husband. She eventually decided to take time away from the program because she “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,” she explained. “Because I was his oxygen sometimes. I would just [whisper], ‘I love you. We’re going to be OK. I love you. Look at me. I’m here.’”

She added: “I believed that he was going to be OK. I knew it was gonna be tough, but we all believed that he would be fine.”


  Sheinelle Jones on “Today” on Thursday, April 18, 2024. Nathan Congleton/NBC via Getty Images Sheinelle Jones on “Today” on Thursday, April 18, 2024. Nathan Congleton/NBC via Getty Images

After the interview aired, Jones stepped onto the NBC stage for the first time since December 2024. At the time, she revealed she was taking a break from the morning show for an extended time due to a personal situation. 

“Hi everybody…I sincerely appreciate all of you who have reached out while I’ve been absent from the show,” she wrote via Instagram in January. “I want to share with you that I’m taking time to deal with a family health matter.”

Four months later, Guthrie announced Ojeh’s death on air.


  Sheinelle Jones at Uche Ojeh’s funeral in New York on May 30. William Regan Sheinelle Jones at Uche Ojeh’s funeral in New York on May 30. William Regan

  Savannah Guthrie leaving the funeral service. William Regan Savannah Guthrie leaving the funeral service. William Regan

“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,” she said while fighting off tears.

“There are no words for the pain we feel for Sheinelle and their three young children. Uche was an incredible person,” Guthrie continued. “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.”

Jones reposted the clip at the time, writing, “Thank you, for all of your love and support. ❤️.”


  Sheinelle Jones and family exit Riverside Church for Uche Ojeh’s funeral in New York on May 30. William Regan Sheinelle Jones and family exit Riverside Church for Uche Ojeh’s funeral in New York on May 30. William Regan

  Al Roker leaving the funeral service. William Regan Al Roker leaving the funeral service. William Regan

Guthrie was also the one to tell viewers that Jones was making her comeback.

“This Friday, our beloved Sheinelle will be returning to the show,” Guthrie said on Tuesday.

She revealed that Jones would share a “deeply” personal interview “about how she and her children are grieving the loss of their father, why she calls her experience a ‘beautiful nightmare’ and her message of hope for anyone facing their own struggles.”


  Sheinelle Jones and her husband Uche Ojeh on Friday, June 14, 2019. NBCU Photo Bank/NBCUniversal via Getty Images Sheinelle Jones and her husband Uche Ojeh on Friday, June 14, 2019. NBCU Photo Bank/NBCUniversal via Getty Images

  Sheinelle Jones, Uche Ojeh and their kids on Christmas Day 2023. sheinelle_o/Instagram Sheinelle Jones, Uche Ojeh and their kids on Christmas Day 2023. sheinelle_o/Instagram

  Sheinelle Jones and her kids, Clara, Kayin and Uche, in studio on Thursday, April 27, 2023. Nathan Congleton/NBC via Getty Images Sheinelle Jones and her kids, Clara, Kayin and Uche, in studio on Thursday, April 27, 2023. Nathan Congleton/NBC via Getty Images

Jones was last seen with her “Today” co-stars at Ojeh’s funeral in New York on May 30.

She looked somber while she exited Riverside Church with her family as Guthrie, Al Roker, Deborah Roberts, Jenna Bush Hager, Hoda Kotb and Craig Melvin followed.

Jones and Ojeh, whose real name was Uchechukwuka Adenola Ojeh, married in 2007.

The couple — who share three children: Kaylin, 16, and twins Clara and Uche, 13 — would have celebrated 18 years of marriage on Sept. 1.

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