Shenelle Jones she was supported by her late husband, Uche Ojehwhile writing his new book.
“This book wouldn’t exist without my lovely husband, Uche. He pushed me to do this on days when I wanted to give up because I didn’t think I had the time or bandwidth to finish it,” Jones, 47, wrote. Through Mother’s Eyeswhich hits shelves on Tuesday, April 14.
Jones noted that Ojeh “kindly reminded him” when the deadline came, adding that “despite everything we were going through, most days he seemed more motivated than I was to make it happen.”
“The truth is, I’ve had the book in my heart for a long time,” he continued, “and I’m very grateful that he believed in me and the stories I wanted to tell.”
In her new book, Jones has lessons from several mothers of public figures that she has collected over the course of seven years. When Ojeh was diagnosed with brain cancer in 2023, he insisted on finishing the book. (Jones’ Today series of the same name launched in 2018.)
“Here’s the deal, this was supposed to come out last spring and the truth is, my husband, Uche, got really sick while I was writing this, and he pushed me to keep going,” Jones shared during the March episode. Today. “I delayed this for about a year because I wanted to have children with him, but I promised him that I would not stop this.”
Jones went on to share a photo of Ojeh with his late grandmother, who he said “believed in me a lot when we talked about this book.”
“You know guys, I talk about my grandmother all the time. She is a very active character in this book. I just read about her and she is the last quote in this book. She ended up passing seven months after Uche. So what I learned is that being a mother does not end even in difficult times. And the wisdom in the book comforted me. So today, I move forward in honoring them.
Today’s Sheinelle Jones is delaying the release of her book for the second time after the death of husband Uche Ojeh. Publisher Penguin Random House will release Jones’ book, Through Mom’s Eyes, on February 10, 2026. The book was originally scheduled for release on April 15 but was later moved to October 21. Through Mom’s Eyes is […]
Ojeh died in May 2025 at the age of 45. The couple has a son Kayin, 16, and twins Clara and Uche, 13.
“I had to learn, in very brutal ways, about the fragility of life – and I saw how (Uche) left his mark. It made me say, ‘Okay, well, what do I want to leave behind? What kind of legacy do I want to build, and what do I want my children to know about me?’ “Jones said to Jones Today in an interview published on Monday, April 13, noting that his book is about answering those questions.
He went on to say, “My faith, my steadfastness, my steadfastness … all these things, I wanted them to know about me. And, so, in a way, this is what I was willing to do.”
Through Mother’s Eyes it’s out now.
