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Despite the challenges, Leno said Mavis, 79, still recognizes him and tells him she loves him.
NEW YORK — Former “Tonight Show” host Jay Leno shared emotional details about caring for his wife Mavis as she battles advanced dementia, telling NBC’s “Today” show in an interview aired Thursday that the toughest part has been watching her relive her mother’s death repeatedly.
Leno, 75, said his wife relived learning about her mother’s death every day for years, describing the experience as “really tricky.”
“Her mother died every day for, like, three years,” Leno told host Hoda Kotb. “And not just crying, I mean, you’re learning for the first time.”
Despite the challenges, Leno said Mavis, 79, still recognizes him, though he acknowledges she may eventually forget. “She seems extremely comfortable now. And she seems happy, and she seems contented,” he said.
The comedian, who married Mavis in 1980, was granted conservatorship of his wife in April 2024 after filing in January of that year following her diagnosis.
Leno described how conversations have changed, with Mavis pointing to things and saying things that don’t make sense. He said he focuses on reassuring her that everything is OK. The couple no longer goes to restaurants, though they take drives together with assistance, and Mavis can no longer travel, something she previously loved. Instead, they watch travel content and animal shows on YouTube.
The former late-night host said he tries to keep things light, calling their trips to the bathroom “Jay and Mavis at the prom” and saying his wife finds the joke funny.
Leno reflected on marriage vows, saying most people never think they’ll be called upon to honor the “for better or worse” commitment. “But even the worse is not that bad,” he said.
When asked how Mavis shows her love, Leno said she tells him and smiles at him. “And when she looks at me and smiles and says she loves me, I melt,” he said.
Mavis Leno was nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize in 2002 for her advocacy work supporting women in Afghanistan under the Taliban.
Before her diagnosis, Leno said he would come home after “The Tonight Show,” cook dinner for Mavis and watch television together. “The only difference is now you just can’t really talk about a lot of things,” he said.
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