After Tough Year, Sheinelle Jones Gets Emotional During Birthday Celebration on ‘Today'
It's been an emotional year for the Today team, and co-host Sheinelle Jones got choked up with emotion while celebrating her 48th birthday on the new episode of Today with Jenna & Sheinelle.
On the Friday, April 17 episode, Jenna Bush Hager surprised Jones with a bright pink cake featuring the cover of her new book, Through Mom's Eyes: Simple Wisdom from Mothers Who Raised Extraordinary Humans. While Jones was touched by the sweet gesture, it was clearly the tremendous journey she's been through over the last several years while dealing with the illness and death of her husband, Uche Ojeh, who had glioblastoma, that brought tears to her eyes.
Ojeh, Jones' husband of 17 years, died at 45 in May 2025. The couple had three children.
Taking a moment to reflect, Jones shared how she came to find peace over the last year.
"And when I turned 47, it was a tough day on my 47th birthday and I just couldn't see the light at the end of the tunnel. So for 48 to be so wonderful and to be here with you and you guys, just lets you know that if you're in something, just know that there is light," Jones shared, getting visibly emotional.
Head to the Today website to watch the touching video of Jones speaking about her challenging year.
Sheinelle Jones Previously Honored the Nurses Who Cared for Her Late Husband
On a February episode of Today with Jenna & Sheinelle, Jones welcomed the hospice workers who cared for her husband through his illness to the show.
"By the time we got to the end, we almost had this quiet little tribe of folks we felt were rooting for us, and kind of fell in love with our family," Jones shared, PEOPLE reported. "Things happened so fast in the end that I just haven't had a chance to say thank you."
When Did Uche Ojeh Die?
Ojeh, Jones' husband of 17 years, died at 45 in May 2025. The Today team announced the loss together.
"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," Savannah Guthrie said on TODAY, May 23. "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. And so we want to take a moment to tell you more about the remarkable man who was Sheinelle's perfect partner in life."
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This story was originally published April 17, 2026 at 1:42 PM.