Uche Ojeh, the husband of “Today” show co-host Sheinelle Jones, has died following a battle with aggressive brain cancer. He was 45.
Savannah Guthrie announced the news on Friday morning’s show, noting that Ojeh specifically dealt with a brain tumor known as glioblastoma. “There are no words for the pain we feel for Sheinelle and their three young children. Uche was an incredible person. We all loved him,” Guthrie shared with misty eyes.
Jones and Ojeh met at Northwestern University, when Jones was a freshman and Ojeh was still a senior in high school. Eight years later, he proposed on campus and they married in 2007. The couple went on to have three kids, all of whom survive Ojeh.
“He loved those kids more than anything else in this world, and was just so proud,” co-host Craig Melvin said. “He was that dad that was on the sideline at every soccer game. He was at all the concerts, the recitals. He was that guy, and they had such a beautiful love story.”
To commemorate Ojeh’s life, the “Today” hosts tearfully remembered their own time with him, applauding his devotion to his family and the joy he brought to those around him. You can watch the full NBC segment here.
Jones herself stepped back from her hosting duties in January amid Ojeh’s struggles, looking after him and her kids, and thus was not present during Friday’s show. Still, her co-stars sent love and strength her way, marveling at how she’s handled her husband’s fight.
“She’s found the grace in the grief, which is not easy,” Jenna Bush-Hager said.
