Jay Leno Shared a Heartbreaking Story About His Wife's Dementia

Long-time Tonight Show host and stand-up comedian Jay Leno opened up to Hoda Kotb on The Today Show about his wife, Mavis's, health. Mavis is a feminist activist and philanthropist who was nominated for a Nobel Peace Prize for her work supporting women in Afghanistan under the Taliban.

Jay told Hoda that Mavis is living with advanced dementia, which is a degenerative brain disease that interferes with memory and cognitive function. Jay is her full-time caregiver, and he shared a difficult story involving Mavis's condition.

"Every day, she’d wake up and realize someone had called today to tell her her mother had passed away. And the mother died every day for like three years," he said. He said that Mavis fully experienced the loss every day, which was very difficult to see.

"That was really tricky. That makes it hard," he said.

Jay said that Mavis has been so independent throughout her life that this is the first time she's ever needed him, and he loves taking care of her.

He wants to maintain a sense of normalcy. He'd like to take Mavis out to travel and to dinners, because she loves to do those things, but it's not really possible. However, they still go on car rides and he works fun and jokes into their daily routines. He admitted that he still makes her laugh.

In most of their conversations, she just wants to be reassured that everything is OK.

He said, "If I was a doctor, I'd say, 'The patient is doing well.'"

He said, "The thing is, you get married and take these vows, and nobody ever thinks you’ll be called upon to act on it. You know that part — for better or worse. But even ‘the worst’ is not that bad."

Mavis still brings up memories from when they were younger and tells Jay she loves him.

Jay said, "When she looks at me and smiles and says she loves me, I know."