Today show co-host Sheinelle Jones’ husband Uche Ojeh has died aged 45 after being diagnosed with an aggressive form of brain cancer.
The news was announced “with profound sadness” by Jones’ co-host Savannah Guthrie, who battled back tears in her eyes during an emotional segment on Friday’s edition of the NBC morning show.
“We talk a lot about how this place is like a family, and this morning we have some heartbreaking news about someone who is very dear to us here at Today,” she said.
“So let’s take a deep breath. With profound sadness we share that Uche Ojeh, the husband of our dear friend and Today co-host Sheinelle Jones has passed away after a courageous battle with an aggressive form of brain cancer called glioblastoma. There are no words for the pain that we feel for Sheinelle and their three young children.
“Uche was an incredible person. 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.”
Ojeh, whose full name is Uchechukwuka Adenola Ojeh, first met Jones in college when he was a freshman giving campus tours and she was a high school senior. They married in 2007 after he proposed to her on the school’s campus and were married for 18 years.
The couple have three children together—son Kaylin, 15, and twins Clara and Uche, 12.
“He loved those kids more than anything else in this world, and was just so proud,” said fellow presenter Craig Melvin, a close friend of Ojeh’s. “He was that dad that was on the sideline of every soccer game. He was at all of the concerts and the recitals. He was that guy.”
“He was a private guy but he was wickedly funny,” he added. “He would say things that caught you off guard but wasn’t braggadocious or anything. He was a humble man.”
Jones, who joined the network in 2014, stepped back from hosting the Today show in mid-December, later explaining on Instagram she needed “time to deal with a family health matter.”
“I sincerely appreciate all of you who have reached out while I’ve been absent from the show,” she wrote. “It’s not lost on me how lucky I am to have not only the support of my Today show family, but to also have all of you. Your kindness means so much to me. I’ll see you soon.”
Friday’s edition on the Today show included a video package which paid tribute to Ojeh’s life, narrated by Guthrie.
“He was her perfect match; a man whose joyful spirit and quiet strength complemented Sheinelle in every way,” she said. “Uche was the kind of person who brought life, warm and joy to every room.”
“Family, friends, and his deep and abiding faith were always his true north,” she added. “He was an enthusiastic soccer player, sang in his church choir and was devoted to his Nigerian heritage, instilling in their children a deep connection to his cultural roots.”
“Today with heavy hearts we celebrate his life. Devoted husband, loving father and a man whose generosity of spirit touched all who knew him.”
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