This morning, the Today Show hosts sat together, Craig Melvin opened a segment, telling us about breaking news about someone dear to all of them. Savannah Guthrie announced that Sheinelle Jones’ husband, Uche Ojech, had died after a courageous battle with an aggressive form of brain cancer called glioblastoma. “Uche was an incredible person, we all loved him,” Guthrie said.
Today Show fans knew Jones had been absent from our television screen for some time. On January 15th, she posted a quick note on Instagram that said.
“Hi everybody… I sincerely appreciate all of you who have reached out while I’ve been absent from the show. I want to share with you that I’m taking time to deal with a family health matter. It’s not lost on me how lucky I am to have not only the support of my Today Show family, but to also have all of you. Your kindness means so much to me. I’ll see you soon. Love, Sheinelle”
Jones and Ojech,45, were married for 17 years. In the tribute the show gave to him, they called her Jones’ perfect match, “whose joyful strength and quiet demeanor complemented her in every way.” The two were fortunate to have met early in life; he was a high school senior when she gave him a campus tour of Northwestern University as a freshman in the late 90s. They dated for eight years, and he proposed on that campus in a rainstorm. Jones and Ojech got married in Philadelphia, her hometown, in 2007. They had three children: a son, Kayan, and twins, Clara and Uche.
While Jones built a career in broadcast journalism, Ojeh became a successful consultant. He was also a soccer player, sang in his church choir, was a triathlete, and was devoted to Nigerian heritage and family, which he instilled in his children.
Melvin said, “One thing we always talked about was his kids. He loved his kids more than anything else in this world. He was just so proud,” the host continued. “He was that dad who was on the sidelines, every soccer game, he was at all of the concerts, and all the recitals. He was that guy!” (check out the whole segment below).
Our sincere condolences to Sheinelle, Kayan, Clara, Uche, and their families.
What is Glioblastoma?
According to the Cleveland Clinic, glioblastoma is the most common type of malignant brain cancer in adults. “It starts in a glial cell in your spinal cord called an astrocyte. Cancer cells rapidly grow and multiply. They can spread into other areas of your brain and spinal cord.” More than 13,000 Americans are diagnosed with GBM every year. Symptoms include vision changes, memory problems, headaches, and seizures.
While there is currently no cure, promising new treatments are making progress, and we are hopeful that one day, there will be a cure.
References
For more information on the symptoms and treatment of glioblastoma, check out:
Mayo Clinic: Treatment and Causes of Glioblastoma
The Cleveland Clinic has developed new research strategies for glioblastoma.
