‘Today’ Star Sheinelle Jones Reveals Painful Truth About Ongoing Grief Over Death of Husband Uche Ojeh: ‘I Am Fighting for Joy’

"Today With Jenna & Sheinelle" host Sheinelle Jones has admitted she still feels like she is "swimming through mud" as she continues to grapple with balancing her grief over the death of her husband, Uche Ojeh, with her new role as co-star of the morning show's fourth hour.

Jones, 47, who lost her husband to brain cancer in May, was announced as the new permanent co-star of the final segment of the morning show in December—more than a year after her predecessor, Hoda Kotb, announced that she was quitting to spend more time with her children.

Although Jones has been celebrating her big on-screen "win," which began in earnest on Jan. 12, when she made her debut as co-host, she confessed that, behind the scenes, her heartbreak has anything but subsided.

In an emotional new interview with People, Jones lifted the lid on the misconception that she is doing better now that she is back on air, while revealing how she is helping her children—Kayin, 16, and twins Clara and Uche, 13—get through the pain of losing their dad.

“People see me on TV and they think ‘Oh, she’s better.’ It’s like, ‘Oh, no no. I’m not better,’" she admitted. "Every day, it’s like swimming through mud. I’ve had to really do the work. Empathy is my superpower now, and I recognize that I hold two things: I hold my grief, and I also hold this joy. I said it months ago, and I’ll say it now: I am fighting for my joy."

Jones noted that she misses the small moments she shared with her husband, like texting him when she boards a plane.

"I don't even think I understood fully what it would feel like to not have him. It's the life after where you really feel the loss," she said.

The mom explained that she tries her best to console her kids, adding that she reminds them how lucky they were to share the time they did their dad, even if it was cut short.

“My kids lost their dad at 13 and 16, but I try to tell them they got more in those years than some people get in a lifetime," she explained.

Still, Jones confessed that, as a "woman of faith," she is struggling to come to terms with the "why" behind her loss, revealing that she never even considered what life would be like without her husband.

“Not once did I think I was going to lose him," she said, adding that she has had to "really dig deep and realize that maybe I just don't fully understand."

"I still don't know if I have the answer, but I have peace that passes all understanding. That's a Bible verse. It doesn't mean that it's easier. It doesn't mean that my grief is not excruciating," she added.

Despite still struggling with the devastating loss, Jones noted that she does find joy and comfort alongside her new co-host, Jenna Bush Hager

"Jenna and I look at each other and we're safe. If I fall, she's going to pick me up and vice versa. If I told you the depth of my groans and tears just months ago to one of the best days of my life here today, you couldn't even write it," Jones explained.

Hager, meanwhile, was full of praise for her co-star, telling the outlet that she is constantly surprised by how "effortlessly" Jones carries herself on screen, even as she's dealing with a huge weight behind the scenes.

"I'm witnessing Sheinelle do this so effortlessly, and I know it's not. I know it's actually really hard, but she's doing it. And she's really such a reminder to all of us that joy and heartbreak can be held at the same time and that we have to find moments of joy and celebration even in darkness," she said.

On Jan. 5, Jones was given a heartfelt send-off by her co-hosts on the third hour of the "Today" show as she prepared to join Hager in leading the fourth hour of the popular morning program.

Jones admitted that her late husband had a hand in her decision to take the prestigious role, explaining that she knew he would be proud to know she was forging ahead with her career.

However, she was able to bid a proper adieu to the third hour of the series with her co-hosts, Craig Melvin, Dylan Dreyer, and Al Roker, who paid emotional tribute to her during her final appearance on the segment on Jan. 2.

Jones held back tears as her co-hosts recalled their favorite memories of their time on set with her.

Dreyer also tried to stop herself from getting emotional while recalling how much Jones' friendship meant to her.

When it was announced that Jones was moving to the fourth hour, she explained how much it meant to her to have the support of the "Today" team, particularly after she took time out to care for her husband in the final weeks of his cancer battle.

“When I came back from leave, I talked about fighting for my joy," she said. "This is what it looks like. It feels divine. It feels like Uche’s up there with God, like, he’s Mr. Competitive, like, ‘All right, let’s make this happen for Sheinelle.’

"I put on his shirt this morning, and I said a little prayer, and I’m like, ‘Let’s go be with, not my friend, but my sister.'"

Jones took an extended break from the hit NBC morning show while her husband was undergoing treatment, announcing in January that she would be absent from screens, explaining at the time that she was dealing with a family health matter.

The mother of three announced four months later that her husband of nearly 20 years had died.

Though Jones did not appear on the "Today" show to announce the news of her husband's death, her co-host, Guthrie, shared the devastating development with viewers in an on-air statement.

"With profound sadness, we share this morning that Uche Ojeh, the husband of our dear friend and 'Today' co-host Sheinelle Jones, has passed away after a courageous battle with an aggressive form of brain cancer called glioblastoma," Guthrie told viewers at the time.

"There are no words for the pain that we feel for Sheinelle and their three young children. Uche was an incredible person. We all loved him."

Jones officially returned to her role as the co-host of the third hour of "Today" alongside Roker and Dreyer later that month.

Jones and Ojeh tied the knot in 2007 and were living together at a stunning property in Livingston Manor, NY, when the "Today" host stepped back from her hosting duties to support her husband.

The couple are understood to have purchased the dwelling for just under $1.4 million in December 2020.

The home offers 4,762 square feet of living space on 53 acres with a "large stocked pond" and an in-ground heated pool, according to its original listing description.

Inside the property, there is a library, a formal dining room, and an enormous primary suite, in addition to a four-bedroom, two-bath guesthouse.

It's thought that Jones and her family moved into the home after returning from a five-month getaway in South Carolina, where they quarantined during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic.

At the time, the "Today" host voiced her excitement at the prospect of beginning a "new adventure," while gushing about the time that she and her loved ones had been able to spend isolating in such a picturesque location.

"Time to start a new chapter!" she wrote in an Instagram post highlighting her favorite images from their stay. "The last five months have been filled with so much uncertainty, but having this time together as a family has been the silver lining.

"It’s easier to stay isolated when you’re with people you love. (I wish I would’ve journaled!!!) ... So thankful for what this time has taught me ... and the healing power of nature. Until next time South Carolina!"

Although Jones and her husband own a property outside of New York City, they did live in a Manhattan apartment at one point—with the on-air personality proudly sharing the space in a story posted on Today.com.

She explained to the online outlet that she fell in love with the home's high ceilings, corner window, and hardwood floors, having moved into the home after their family relocated from Philadelphia when she landed the role on "Today."