At a Glance
- Sheinelle Jones says grief nine months after husband Uche Ojeh’s death is “excruciating” and “like swimming through mud”
- The 47-year-old cohost of Today with Jenna & Sheinelle calls new empathy her “superpower”
- Her first broadcast alongside Jenna Bush Hager aired Monday, Jan. 12
- Why it matters: Jones hopes showing both pain and joy on national TV helps viewers facing similar loss feel less alone
Sheinelle Jones is using national television as a lifeline-for herself and for strangers. Nine months after Uche Ojeh, her husband of 17 years, died at age 45, the anchor tells News Of Losangeles she is “fighting for joy” while co-hosting the network’s fourth hour.
A New Strength Born From Loss
Jones returned from a leave of absence that began in December 2024 and resumed full-time in September. She describes a new, hard-won ability to connect with anyone.
“I have been changed in a good way, too, because of what’s happened to me,” she says. “I’m not afraid of anyone-I’ll talk to anyone-and we can have a conversation because I’ve been through the worst.”
She calls empathy her “superpower,” explaining she now carries two emotions at once:
- Deep, ongoing grief
- Deliberate pursuit of joy
“Every day is like swimming through mud,” she says. “I hold my grief, and I also hold this joy.”
Deciding to Take the Co-Host Chair
Before accepting the permanent seat beside Jenna Bush Hager, Jones weighed whether she could handle the spotlight while mourning.
“I really put a lot of thought into it because I knew it would be change for me,” she recalls. “Can I handle the change?”
The deciding factor: viewers who might see their own reflection in her story.
“I feel like I’m doing it for the woman or the man or the teenager who picks up News Of Losangeles magazine and they read my story and they’re grieving,” she says.
Sisterhood on Morning TV
Bush Hager says Jones’ presence allows her to “exhale,” confident the chair beside her is filled by someone who proves heartbreak and happiness can coexist.
“She’s really such a reminder to all of us that joy and heartbreak can be held at the same time,” Bush Hager notes.
Jones envisions the hour as:
- Two friends laughing one moment
- Crying the next
- Talking kids, parents, and real life
- Showing viewers they are not alone
Life at Home as a Single Mom
Jones and Ojeh share three children:
- Kayin, 16
- Twins Clara and Uche Jr., 13
She admits single parenting is “really hard,” yet finds reassurance in small victories.
“When I hear my kids laugh, I know they’re going to be okay,” she says. “There’s joy there.”
Moving Forward With Purpose
The anchor believes her return offers something television often lacks: honest grief in real time.
“People want to give up. Sometimes I want to give up,” she says. “But if you can turn on [the TV] and not only see me doing it, but see me winning?”
Her goal is to fill a void she sees on daytime television.
“I think there’s a void for two kick-ass girls to have sisterhood,” she says. “I can’t wait. And I’m so excited now that I’ve allowed myself to go ahead and feel it and say, ‘You know what? We’re going to rock it.'”
Key Takeaways
- Jones equates daily grief to “swimming through mud” but refuses to hide it
- She accepted the co-host role to show viewers resilience is possible
- Her children’s laughter signals to her that healing, however slow, is happening
- Bush Hager praises Jones for modeling that joy and sorrow can share the same space
