Jay Leno Doubles Down His Love For His Wife By Being Her Caretaker

Jay Leno has no regrets about catering to his wife's needs amid her dementia battle.

The former host of NBC's "The Tonight Show" has been vocal about his role as his wife's primary caretaker, repeatedly stating that he willingly took up the role out of love for his longtime partner.

Jay Leno tied the knot to Mavis Leno in 1980, enjoying a decades-long romance that continues to thrive amid the latter's health battle. The TV personality filed for conservatorship of Mavis's estate in January 2024 after her dementia diagnosis.

Jay attended the 34th Annual Love Ride at the Harley-Davidson of Glendale in California on Sunday, November 9, where he raved about his blossoming relationship with Mavis. He described himself as "lucky," noting that his wife had dementia rather than a terminal condition like cancer.

The former talk show host explained that he enjoyed caring for Mavis, shutting down the misconception of his caretaker duties being a burden. Jay stressed that he did not consider his duties stressful, assuring fans that he was okay and did not dislike catering to his longtime partner's needs.

"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," Jay told PEOPLE. "But it's okay. It's not terrible. I'm not a woe-is-me person. I'm just lucky that I am able to take care of her," he later added.

Jay reiterated that he enjoyed caring for his wife, labeling himself "very lucky" because he was in the position to be Mavis's caretaker. He raved about his role as a doting husband, noting his spouse would remain his top priority no matter how busy his schedule got.

According to the TV personality, he would head straight home after the Annual Love Ride event to cook for Mavis. Jay echoed similar sentiments in September, revealing he always chose to return home even when he had to travel for work.

"I come home every day. I went to Puerto Rico for the day, and the plane waited, and I came right back. That's what I do. I try to be home every night. So that's kind of what I do," Jay explained.

After he was granted conservatorship of his wife in April 2024, Mavis's attorney praised him for taking "excellent care" of her.

Jay has never failed to address his role as his wife's caretaker whenever the opportunity arises, shedding light on their relationship dynamic in an April interview. The Blast covered the story, reporting that he made an appearance on "In Depth With Graham Bensinger."

During his conversation with the host, Jay doubled down on loving his role as Mavis's caretaker. He claimed their relationship dynamic had barely changed amid her dementia battle, noting that they did the same things they used to before her diagnosis.

Jay added that he loved caring for Mavis because she had always been a "very independent woman," and it felt nice to finally be needed. He explained that his decision to be his wife's primary caretaker stemmed from his commitment, stressing that he wasn't the type to break his wedding vows or cheat.

Mavis's dementia diagnosis became public knowledge when Jay filed for conservatorship, revealing that she could not care for herself or her estate. The Blast shared that he pushed to become her caretaker in January 2024, seeking legal authority to make financial and medical decisions on her behalf.

According to the filing, Mavis was diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease, a form of dementia that affects memory, thinking, and behavior. Her condition was revealed months after Jay experienced a horrible motorcycle accident that broke several of his bones.

Jay recalled in an interview that he had been riding his bike and had cut through a parking lot where someone had strung a wire across the space. He explained that there was no warning, and he crashed into the wire because he noticed it too late, leading to two broken ribs, a broken collarbone, and more.

Months after he was granted conservatorship of his wife, The Blast reported in August 2024 that Jay had updated his will and trust. Since he and Mavis did not welcome any children during their decades-long marriage, his family members became the beneficiaries of his will.

The list included Jay's nephew, Richard Leno, and Mavis's brother, Rikki Nicholson, who reportedly lives next door to the couple. The entertainer had initially stipulated that $3 million from his wealth should be shared between the pair before the update.

A court official had implored Jay to change the sum, noting it was too small for the duo to split. Jay agreed and updated the money left behind for them from $3 million to $7 million. Additionally, if he died before Mavis, she would receive "all income, plus principal for reasonable support."

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