“Today Show” co-host and journalist Sheinelle Jones returned to the NBC morning program Sept. 5 after taking nine months away to care for her husband, Uche Ojeh. 

During her absence, Jones stepped away from the spotlight to prioritize her role as a caregiver and mother. 

She devoted her time to supporting Ojeh through his battle with cancer,  while also keeping life steady for their three children. 

Though she was missed by the viewers, taking a break from live television allowed her to be fully present at home during a painful chapter for her family. 

Semiah Moore, a senior business student, reflected on this decision, saying, “(Jones) stepping away from her career shows that she’s still human and has things that she’s going through just like the rest of us.” 

Moore shared, “We as a society tend to forget that people we see on TV or social media are human and that they have real-life problems to deal with just like we do.” 

Her “Today Show”  family stayed in contact during her time away, checking in to offer encouragement. 

Her return to the show felt less like starting over and more like coming back to a place that had been holding her up all along. 

Ojeh was diagnosed with glioblastoma, an aggressive form of brain cancer, and died May 23, 2025. 

The pair was together nearly 20 years after meeting at Northwestern University. They have three children: Kayin, 16, and 13-year-old twins, Clara and Uche. 

Jones says the couple’s faith during Ojeh’s treatment helped sustain them through the hardest moments. 

She admitted that faith was not always easy to hold onto in the midst of uncertainty. There were nights when fear and exhaustion overwhelmed her, and she questioned how much more the family could endure. 

Jones said it was in those moments of doubt that she leaned on the comfort of prayer, close friends, and the quiet strength of her children. 

Hailey Fennoy-Adams, a junior kinesiology student, connected with this sentiment, saying, “This just shows you should lean on personal values, whether it’s faith, determination, family, or even discipline.” 

She said, “Having someone or something to anchor from can remind (me) of my purpose and why I came in the first place.” 

The family learned of his diagnosis in late 2023. While navigating his illness, Jones chose to remain on the show for another year before taking an extended leave of absence. 

She didn’t go public with Ojeh’s diagnosis because he was “fiercely private.” The support and love she received from the media have made her experiences more bearable. 

She received countless messages from viewers who shared their own stories of loss and resilience. 

Reading those words reminded Jones that her openness created a bridge between her personal journey and the struggles others face. 

That sense of shared experience helped transform an isolating moment into one of collective healing and encouragement. The love she felt returning to the show reminds her of the community she has built over the years. 

The thought of moving forward professionally while still grieving personally was daunting, yet she recognized that returning also offered a sense of stability for her children and a chance to honor the life she and her husband had built. 

That balance of loss and purpose is what gave her the courage to walk back on set. Jones’s determination inspired viewers and her co-hosts as well. 

Navigating grief is a tough challenge for anyone who loses someone close to them. Being in the public eye meant her grief wasn’t something she could always keep private. 

Jones admitted it was overwhelming to see her story in the news or to be asked about it when she was still trying to process everything. When asked if she was okay, Jones replied with “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? 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 try to pull through. But it’s horrible. It’s just horrible. But I’m here, I’m breathing, and I’m OK.”

Hearing from viewers who had gone through similar losses made her feel less alone. 

The balance of carrying her pain while still connecting with others became one of the hardest, yet most meaningful parts of her journey. When Ojeh’s condition worsened, she decided to take a leave of absence. 

Losing someone close to you changes your perspective on life. She talked about her first outing in public since her husband’s death, which was overwhelming. 

Jones’ return to the “Today Show” is a testament to resilience in the face of personal tragedy. Live television is very demanding; Jones balanced the weight of grief and the demanding nature of live television. Her journey could be described as honest and vulnerable. Jones created a space for the audience to navigate their own struggles. 

Balancing grief with a public platform forced her to walk a delicate line between vulnerability and professionalism, but her openness offered comfort to viewers navigating their own losses.