‘Today’s’ Sheinelle Jones gives first interview since husband’s death: ‘Beautiful nightmare’

Sheinelle Jones spoke out about her husband’s death during an emotional return to the “Today” show on Friday.

The television personality, 47, joined her friend and colleague Savannah Guthrie, 53, to give her first interview since Uche Ojeh died from brain cancer in May.

“It’s a beautiful nightmare,” Jones said.

She recalled how they used to dream of their future as college sweethearts in their dorm, and then how years later they remained at each other’s side from his New York City hospital room.

“I remember staring out the window, and I’m like, oh, my God, it’s like this crazy, full-circle moment,” she told Guthrie in the pre-taped sit-down. “Here we are again, not talking, and it feels like a beautiful nightmare.”

“It felt scary. It felt divine. It felt bigger than us,” she explained of his health battle. “But at the end of the day, when we shut the door and it was just us, that was always when we felt like we were at our best. And my 19-year-old self did it, and then my 47-year-old self was doing it again. We would just hold hands, and the nurses would come in, and they would call us the lovebirds. And we would just look at each other, say ‘I love you,’ and hold hands. But that’s what I mean by beautiful nightmare.”

Jones’ appearance marks the first time she stepped on the “Today” stage since December 2024 after revealing she was taking a break from the morning show for an extended time in January due to a personal situation. 

Jones’ husband, whose real name was Uchechukwuka Adenola Ojeh, passed away three months ago at age 45.

Guthrie, who was tasked with delivering the emotional news of his death to “Today” viewers, was also the one to tell watchers of the NBC program that Jones was making her comeback.

“This Friday, our beloved Sheinelle will be returning to the show,” Guthrie said on Tuesday.

She revealed that Jones would share a “deeply” personal interview “about how she and her children are grieving the loss of their father, why she calls her experience a ‘beautiful nightmare’ and her message of hope for anyone facing their own struggles.”

Jones was last seen with her “Today” co-stars at Ojeh’s funeral in New York on May 30.

She looked somber while she exited Riverside Church with her family as Guthrie, Al Roker, Deborah Roberts, Jenna Bush Hager, Hoda Kotb, and Craig Melvin followed.

On January 15, Jones revealed she was dealing with a private family issue and would be going on hiatus from “Today.”

“Hi everybody….I sincerely appreciate all of you who have reached out while I’ve been absent from the show,” she wrote via Instagram. “I want to share with you that I’m taking time to deal with a family health matter.”

Four months later, Guthrie announced Ojeh’s death on air.

“With profound sadness, we share this morning that Uche Ojeh, the husband of our friend and Today co-host Sheinelle Jones, has passed away after a courageous battle with an aggressive form of brain cancer called glioblastoma,” she said while fighting off tears.

“There are no words for the pain we feel for Sheinelle and their three young children. Uche was an incredible person,” Guthrie continued. “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.”

Jones reposted the clip, writing, “Thank you, for all of your love and support. ❤️.”

Jones and Ojeh married in 2007, and the pair remained married until his death.

The couple — who share three children: Kaylin, 16, and twins Clara and Uche, 13 — would have celebrated 18 years of marriage on September 1.