‘Today’ Co-Host Sheinelle Jones’s Husband, Uche Ojeh, Dies Following Brain Cancer Battle

The couple met at Northwestern University in the late 1990s and shared three children.

Sheinelle Jones and Uche Ojeh attend the NAACP LDF 33rd National Equal Justice Awards Dinner in New York City on Nov. 7, 2019. Bennett Raglin/Getty Images for NAACP LDF

Sheinelle Jones, co-anchor of the “Today” show, is mourning the loss of her husband of 17 years, Uche Ojeh Sr., who died at the age of 45 after battling an aggressive form of brain cancer known as glioblastoma.

Jones’s fellow co-hosts—Savannah Guthrie, Craig Melvin, Al Roker, Carson Daly, Dylan Dreyer, and Jenna Bush Hager—announced the news on Friday during the program’s live broadcast.

“With profound sadness, we share this morning that Uche Ojeh, the husband of our dear friend ... has passed away,” Guthrie said, visibly overcome with emotion.

“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.”

Jones and Ojeh Sr. met in the late 1990s on the campus of Northwestern University in Evanston, Illinois. The college sweethearts dated for eight years before marrying in September 2007. They welcomed their first child, son Kayin, two years later. The family grew again in July 2012 with the arrival of twins, Uche Jr. and Clara.

“Family, friends, and his deep and abiding faith were always his true north,” Guthrie said of the father of three. “He was an enthusiastic soccer player, sang at his church choir, and was devoted to his Nigerian heritage, instilling in their children a deep connection to their cultural roots.”

Jones, 47, has been absent from the NBC morning show since December 2024. The new anchor addressed her absence online the following month, citing a family matter.

“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,” she wrote on Instagram. “Your kindness means so much to me. I'll see you soon.”

According to the American Association of Neurological Surgeons, glioblastoma is a fast-growing malignant tumor that affects the brain, rarely spreading to other organs. Symptoms may include headaches, vomiting, memory loss, vision changes, and problems with speech.

Glioblastoma is more prevalent among men and can develop at any age, but is most commonly diagnosed around the age of 64. There is currently no cure for the disease, but treatments may slow the growth of tumors and help reduce symptoms.

The Brain Tumour Charity notes that the average survival rate for those who have been diagnosed with glioblastoma is between 12 and 18 months. However, only about 25 percent of people live beyond a year, with roughly 5 percent surviving more than five years.