HEALTHJay Leno Says He Tries to Find 'Humor in the Situation' While Caring for Dementia-Stricken Wife Mavis
Jay Leno shared how he finds 'humor' while caring for his wife, Mavis, who has dementia.
Jay Leno is leaning on his signature wit as he navigates life as a caregiver for his wife, Mavis, who is battling dementia.
The former Tonight Show host is making sure the pair still share plenty of laughs despite the challenges they're currently facing.
Jay Leno's wife Mavis' dementia diagnosis was revealed in January 2024.
"You try to find the humor in the situation," Leno shared in a recent interview. "I took my wife shopping, I could see she was a little down, [so I said], 'Come on, we'll go to the mall.' So we go to Nordstrom, and I said, 'You see anything you like?' 'No, no.' So we look at the shoes, and [she says], 'Oh, I like these sneakers.'"
Mavis had her eye on a pair of bright blue sneakers, and Leno encouraged her to grab a second pair. In the end, she went with red-and-white sneakers instead — but when they got to the register, Leno was surprised with the outcome.
"So I see she's happy, and I said, 'This is great.' So I got two pairs of sneakers, and [the cashier says] 'That's $24. And the other pair, that's $847,'" Leno recalled.
"I go, 'No, I only had two pairs of sneakers. I thought these were $24.' [The cashier] goes, 'Yeah, these are $24. But the other ones were [designer sneakers]. It looked like the guy took a pair of the same sneakers and used a bedazzler on them, and they were $800. I look at my wife and said, 'You like these?' I go, 'Honey, you look great,'" he added.
Jay Leno and his wife, Mavis, tied the knot in 1980.
Leno said he didn’t mind splurging if it made Mavis feel better.
"It's fine, I'm glad I can afford this and it made my wife happy. It just made me laugh. Just typical," he shared. "I thought the $24 pair looked better than those, but that's okay. It just made me laugh, and I think when you're dealing with this kind of thing, you find your moments where you can have a laugh and have fun, and my wife really likes them and felt good about it."
"So the fact that it was the same pair of sneakers that got hit with a bedazzler, I guess that's fine. But it just made me laugh, and that's pretty much what it is," he added.
The couple, who married in 1980, have been facing this challenge together since Mavis was diagnosed with dementia in January 2024. That same month, Leno filed for conservatorship over her, which was granted three months later.
Court documents stated Mavis "lacks the necessary capacity to execute the estate plan" due to "major neurocognitive disorders (including dementia)." Leno also noted that he has always handled their finances throughout their "loving marriage for more than 43 years."
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Jay Leno and his wife, Mavis, never welcomed any children together.
Through thick and thin, they are continuing to make special memories together.
In May 2024, they attended the Feminist Majority Foundation’s 16th Annual Global Women’s Rights Awards Gala, where Leno honored his wife with the inaugural Mavis Leno Award for Global Women's Rights.
During the event, Leno got emotional as he reflected on their decades-long love story.
“[Marrying Marvis] is the smartest thing I've ever done,” he emotionally said, per Fox News.
When asked if faith and family have helped them through tough times, he didn’t hesitate to reply.
“All of that. Exactly. It's the whole thing. We've been married 44 years. It gets easier. It doesn't get harder,” he answered.
The couple first met at the Comedy Store in Los Angeles in the ‘70s before tying the knot in 1980. Though they never had kids, their life has been filled with amazing memories.
While on stage at the gala, Leno choked up while reminiscing about the moment he met Mavis.
"I had to smile when I saw that young college girl come out, which reminded me of a young girl I met," he said. "She [Mavis] had the same fire. A couple weeks later, I told a story of picking up the front page of a paper with a picture of her [Mavis]. [I thought] this is going to be a fascinating relationship, and it has been."
The TV personality was appointed as his wife's conservator.
"We have a lot of fun," he said, kissing Mavis on the head. "People say marriage is difficult. I don't get it. I enjoy her company. I enjoy taking care of her. We have fun. She's the most independent woman I ever knew. Again, I just couldn't be prouder of her."
He ended his speech on a touching note, stating: "I am part of her legacy, and that's what I'm proudest of."
People interviewed Leno.
