Introduction to Grief
Sheinelle Jones returned to work co-hosting the third hour of the “Today” show Friday, nearly five months after her husband’s death, and described a marathon of grief that started long before the public knew what she and her family were contending with. Uche Ojeh, Jones’ college sweetheart and spouse of more than 17 years, died from brain cancer in late May. Jones said Friday in a pretaped interview that she had known about his glioblastoma diagnosis since the fall of 2023.
The Diagnosis and Its Impact
“I believed that he was going to be OK,” the 47-year-old mother of three told “Today” co-host and friend Savannah Guthrie. “I knew it was going to be tough, but we all believed he was going to be fine; it was just a matter of time and figuring it out.” Glioblastoma is the most aggressive form of brain and spinal cord cancer, the Glioblastoma Foundation says, with a current standard of care that doesn’t help much. The average survival time for those who get treatment is 15 months after diagnosis, according to the foundation, compared with three to six months for those who do not. While research on new treatments has been promising, according to the Mayo Clinic, the condition has no cure.
Coping with the Diagnosis
Singer Michael Bolton announced his glioblastoma diagnosis at the end of April; classical music conductor Michael Tilson Thomas has been in treatment for the disease since spring 2022. Ojeh survived for more than a year and a half after his diagnosis. Jones had announced she was training for the 2023 New York City Marathon in August of that year, then crossed the finish line on Nov. 5, 2023. She told Guthrie that she learned of her husband’s diagnosis a few weeks before she ran the 26.2-mile route.
Finding Strength in Adversity
“Little did I know that that marathon was going to set me up for a real one,” she said. “When I ran the marathon, it was like, ‘OK, one foot in front of the other, one breath at a time. Oh, my God, this is so hard — I can’t take another step. Yes, you can.’ … Who knew — it was like a template, a manual for what I was going to have to deal with.” Jones described sitting with her husband in his hospital room, looking out the window at the beautiful view of New York City as they had sat and gazed out at the campus’ clock tower when they were in college together.
Reflections on Love and Loss
“I remember staring out the window, and I’m like, ‘Oh, my God,’ it’s like this crazy, full-circle moment,” she said. “Here we are again, not talking, and it feels like a beautiful nightmare. … It felt scary. It felt divine. It felt bigger than us.” Still, Jones said, she wouldn’t have done it any other way. “I would look at him,” she said, “and I would say, ‘I would do this all over again.’ … I would look at him and I would say, ‘This sucks,’ and ‘This is scary,’ but if you asked me, if this was gonna be my fate, I would do it all over again.”
Managing Grief and Moving Forward
As for managing her grief since his death, she said if she could just stay in bed and not answer the door and not answer the phone, it would be “amazing,” but she has three kids depending on her to set the tone and be a model for them. “I want them to be proud of me. I want them to be proud of how I handled it. And so I kind of feel like I just have to keep running… Somehow I just keep running to my peace,” she said. Jones, who anchors the third hour of “Today” with Dylan Dreyer, Craig Melvin and Al Roker, had been absent from the show since saying in mid-December that she was managing “a family health matter.”
Conclusion
Sheinelle Jones’ story is a testament to the human spirit’s ability to persevere in the face of adversity. Her love for her husband and her determination to keep moving forward, even in the darkest of times, are an inspiration to us all. As she continues to navigate the complexities of grief, she remains committed to being a source of strength and comfort for her children and those around her.
FAQs
Q: What type of cancer did Uche Ojeh have?
A: Uche Ojeh had glioblastoma, the most aggressive form of brain and spinal cord cancer.
Q: How long did Uche Ojeh survive after his diagnosis?
A: Uche Ojeh survived for more than a year and a half after his diagnosis.
Q: How is Sheinelle Jones coping with her grief?
A: Sheinelle Jones is coping with her grief by focusing on her children and trying to be a model for them, and by finding ways to keep moving forward, even when it feels difficult.
Q: What message does Sheinelle Jones hope to convey through her story?
A: Sheinelle Jones hopes to convey a message of hope and resilience, and to inspire others to keep moving forward, even in the face of adversity.
