Jay Leno Breaks Silence On Wife's 3-Year Tragedy Loop

Jay Lenoopens up about his wife being stuck in a cycle of painful grief!

The television host has detailed just how gruesome it is to watch his wife constantly process the fact that her mother had passed away three years ago due to her dementia.

Jay Leno has assumed the role of his wife, Mavis Leno's, legal caretaker and guardian after her diagnosis last year, a job he claims to enjoy thoroughly.

The television personality got candid during his interview with Hoda Kotb on TODAY that the most challenging part of navigating his wife's advanced dementia yet is watching her regularly recall her mother's death. 

He stated that every day she would wake and suddenly remember someone had just called to tell her about her mother's death. The comedian noted that she would feel emotional about it, and realizing she processes that every day as if it were the first time her mother passed has been a tricky and hard experience.

However, there is a light at the end of that whole tunnel because, despite everything, Mavis has not forgotten Jay's face or his memory. According to Jay:

"She's not forgetting me. That hasn't happened yet. She seems extremely comfortable now. And she seems happy, and she seems contented. It's actually OK. It's good. I enjoy taking care of her."

Since taking over her estate last year, Jay has also had to step up and become his wife's all-in-all, who also caters to her bathroom needs. The comedian declared that, even to make the experience more fun for her, he coined a prom theme from the process of carrying her to and from the restroom.

He also spoke about her appetite improving, although that has triggered a yearning within him to take her to dinner, but due to her condition, it is almost impossible. In his words:

"You reach this point in your life where she loves to travel. I'm sad that she can't do those things. But there's so much stuff on YouTube, the travel stuff, and we watch those things and the animal shows and all that kind of stuff."

Despite this challenge in their love story, the comedian is still very much in awe of his partner and knows her like the back of her hand. Jay raved to Kotb about how much the sight of his wife's smile made him absolutely weak in the knees.

Earlier in the month, The Blast noted that the television host had the best words to describe how being there as his wife's caretaker feels. He considered himself lucky to have his wife around rather than watch her go through the pain of a terminal disease like cancer.

Jay stressed that despite his busy schedule, taking care of Mavis would never move from the top spot on his to-do list. The host confessed to choosing home over traveling far away from work sometimes. 

"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," the host claimed. He even earned praise from Mavis' attorney for being a formidable pillar of support behind his wife.

Jay insisted that the dynamics of their marriage have not really changed since her diagnosis, and it felt super nice to see his super independent wife now agree to be taken care of.

As the year prepared to round up, the comedian experienced a slip at his hotel during an attempt to take a shorter route towards an exit. As noted by The Blast, Jay's fall left him with a big black patch on his face and a blue bandage on his right arm.

Still, he summoned the courage to perform at the Yaamava Casino in Southern California the following weekend. The show was filled with thousands of attendees ready to listen to him do his thing and encourage him with applause.

He explained that the slip happened when he attempted to go to a local restaurant at the bottom of a slope, which was about a one-and-a-half-mile path down.

However, the comedian did not allow the incident to stop him from leading a normal life, as he was spotted taking a drive around town with the bruise on his face.

The hotel accident was not the only time the Hollywood personality had experienced close shaves with broken bones and painful injuries. In 2022, he survived a garage accident that left him with third-degree burns to his face and hands. 

The media personality explained that a blocked fuel line led to the incident, and the ensuing result was a face full of gasoline, and his proximity to the pilot light worsened the situation.

While the water turned into steam with the intent to harm him, the actor swung into action by closing his eyes and mouth to protect his vital organs.

A timely intervention from his friend further saved his life, as Dave pulled him out from under the car to prevent further injuries. He then used his friend’s shirt to control the flames while the paramedics subsequently arrived and ferried him to the hospital to treat his burns.

Hand Jay Leno the husband of the year award already!