Jay Leno has expressed gratitude that his wife, Mavis, still remembers him. The 75-year-old broadcaster was granted conservatorship over his 29-year-old spouse last year after she was diagnosed with advanced dementia, a condition that causes a decline in thinking, memory and reasoning skills. While caring for her can be challenging, Leno emphasises that he still enjoys their time together.
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Speaking on Today, Leno said: “I understand what it is, so you can’t blame someone… She’s not forgetting me. That hasn’t happened yet. She seems extremely comfortable now, and she seems happy and contented. It’s actually okay. It’s good. I enjoy taking care of her. I enjoy her company, like if I’m working on a car, she’d sit over there with a book and read.” He added that their routines are similar to before her diagnosis, though some conversations are now limited.
Leno described one of the most difficult aspects of Mavis’ condition as her repeated realisation that her mother had passed away. “Probably the toughest part was every day she’d wake up and realise someone had called today to tell her her mother had passed away. And her mother died every day for, like, three years. Not just crying, I mean, you’re learning for the first time. And that was really tricky,” he said.
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Despite the challenges, the former Tonight Show host finds joy in small moments with his wife. “You know, when I’m carrying her — like to the bathroom — we do this and I call it Jay and Mavis at the prom. We’re just back and forth, and she thinks that’s funny.” Leno also reassures her when she says things that don’t make sense. “Now she really needs me and I like that. I can tell she appreciates it. You take these vows, and nobody ever thinks they’ll be called upon to act on them. For better or worse — even the worse isn’t that bad.”
