‘Today’ Show Anchors Cry as They Remember Sheinelle Jones’ Husband Uche Ojeh Following His Death at 45

Today show anchors Savannah Guthrie, Craig Melvin and more paid emotional tribute to Uche Ojeh, Sheinelle Jones’ husband of 17 years, who died after a battle with brain cancer.

Guthrie and Melvin announced the tragic news on the Today show Friday morning along with their and Jones’ co-hosts Jenna Bush Hager, Al Roker, Dylan Dreyer and Carson Daly.

After Bush Hager narrated a tribute telling Ojeh and Jones’ love story, each of the anchors weighed in with their own kind words.

“We just want to say, Sheinelle, Kayin, Little Uche, and Clara and the Uche family, we are with you,” Guthrie said through tears after the tribute video played. “We love you. You are our family and we are just sending all of our love to you right now.”

Melvin, who was good friends with Ojeh, said he remembers Ojeh speaking about his kids the last time they golfed together.

“The last time we played golf together, last fall, we had a number of conversations about life in general. One thing he always talked about, he talked bout those kids. He loved those kids more than anything else in this world,” Melvin said, his voice breaking. “Was just so proud. He was that dad on the sidelines at every soccer game. He was at every concert and recital. He was that guy.”

Daly extended condolences to Ojeh and Jones’ three children, remembering his own experience losing his father at age 5.

“I can’t help but think of my own life,” Daly said. “My father was 46, I was 5 when my dad died. My dad was young — unexpected cancer diagnosis, [he] passed. I think now, 45 years later, God has blessed me and my life. I say eventually, God gave me two incredible fathers in my life. I’m so blessed for that. I pray for their family and the kids that they’ll have that fortune as well. … I’ve been praying for years to my father in heaven. I say, ‘I hope you’re watching over me. I’m OK. It’s OK. You’re home where you’re supposed to be with your Heavenly Father and I’m thriving here.”

Roker remembered Ojeh as funny but humble. “He was a private guy but wickedly funny. He’d say things that kind of caught you off guard. He wasn’t braggadocios or anything, he was a very humble man,” Roker said.

“I think back to COVID when they as a family were in South Carolina together,” Dreyer recalled. “They had this special time of their life to just all be together. That was the most important thing to each and every one of them.”

Bush Hager praised Jones for her strength throughout her grief. “She has her humor. There’s nobody funnier than Sheinelley. And that humor — she’s found the grace in the grief, which is not easy,” Bush Hager said. “I know when we’ve all spoken to her [we] have been extremely inspired.”

Guthrie praised Ojeh’s family and friends for supporting him and Jones in recent months. “Uche has so many friends, college friends, friends from their time in Philadelphia. Those friends have surrounded the family during this time,” Guthrie said. “Sheinelle is a warrior. Uche was a warrior. They have been incredible. She has risen to the occasion and then some.”

Jones has been on hiatus from the show since December. Guthrie revealed Friday that Ojeh battled glioblastoma, an aggressive form of brain cancer. He was 45. He is survived by Jones and their three children, sons Kayin and Little Uche and daughter Clara.