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.”