Jay Leno Reveals the Heartbreaking Dementia Struggle: Mavis Relived Her Mother's Death 'Every Day for Three Years'

Mian Hamid November 21, 2025

Jay Leno Reveals the Heartbreaking Dementia Struggle: Mavis Relived Her Mother's Death 'Every Day for Three Years'

U.S. Audiences recently got a heartbreaking glimpse into the private struggle of comedy legend Jay Leno and his wife, Mavis Leno, as they navigate her advanced dementia diagnosis. The former host of The Tonight Show spoke candidly about the challenges of caregiving and the unwavering commitment to his marriage of nearly 45 years.

Speaking with Hoda Kotb on the Today show on Thursday, Nov. 20, Leno opened up about the daily heartache faced by Mavis due to her condition.

"Probably the toughest part was every day she’d wake up and realize someone had called today to tell her her mother had passed away," Leno recalled. "And her mother died every day for, like, three years."

Leno described these recurring moments of grief as particularly traumatic because, in her mind, Mavis was experiencing the death of her mother as if it were for the very first time. "Not just crying, I mean, you’re learning for the first time. And that was really tricky,” he shared with the U.S. audience.

Much of Jay Leno's emotional role now revolves around comforting his wife amid her confusion. He emphasizes that this new phase has strengthened their bond.

“She wants to be reassured that everything’s okay,” he said. “Now she really needs me and I like that. And I can tell she appreciates it." He reflected on his marriage vows: "The idea that you get married, you take these vows, nobody ever thinks they’ll be called upon to act on them. You know that part – for better or worse. Even the worse isn’t that bad.”

Mavis Leno's diagnosis became public in January 2024 when Jay Leno filed for a conservatorship of her estate. Since then, her condition has seen some fluctuations.

While he laments the activities they can no longer share, like travel, Leno focuses on the positive changes. “Her appetite’s really come back,” he shared. "We’ll get some help and we’ll take her out in the car and drive around and look at stuff. She likes that."

Above all, the deep affection between the couple remains. “When she looks at me and smiles and says she loves me, I melt,” he admitted.

In a separate interview earlier this month, the comedy icon stressed that his role as a caregiver is a labor of love, not a burden. "It's not work, because people come up, and say they feel so sorry... but it's okay," Leno told the U.S. media outlet. "I like taking care of her. I enjoy her company, and we have a good time. We have fun with it, and it is what it is."

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