Uche Ojeh, Sheinelle Jones’ husband of 17 years, has died following a battle with brain cancer. He was 45.
“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.”
Sheinelle and Uche’s love story began at Northwestern University in the late 1990s, when Sheinelle, then an 18-year-old freshman, offered to show a visiting high-school senior around the campus near Chicago. They were together for eight years before Uche proposed on that same campus of their alma mater.
They married in September 2007 in Philadelphia, Sheinelle’s hometown, and welcomed their oldest son, Kayin, in August 2009. Their twins, son Uche and daughter Clara, came three years later in July 2012.
For Uche, family, friends and his deep sense of faith were his guiding forces. He was devoted to his Nigerian heritage, instilling in their children a deep connection to their cultural roots. He was an enthusiastic soccer player and sang in the church choir.
“One thing he always talked about — he talked about those kids,” Craig Melvin said on TODAY. “He loved those kids more than anything else in this world, and was just so proud. He was that dad that was on the sideline at every soccer game. He was at all the concerts, the recitals. He was that guy, and they had such a beautiful love story.”
The essence of Sheinelle and Uche’s partnership was captured in small gestures and loving celebrations of victories, big and small. Two years ago, when Sheinelle ran the New York City Marathon for the first time, Uche was there at the finish line to shower her with pride. Sheinelle showed that same support and spirit when Uche completed a triathlon just a few weeks before.
The TODAY family is honoring the life of Uche, a devoted husband, loving father and a man whose bright spirit touched everyone who knew him.
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