Jay Leno shares tear-jerking update on his wife after advanced dementia diagnosis
Jay Leno and his wife, Mavis, have shared a lifetime of laughter, love, and partnership. Their story began in the 1970s, after one of Jay’s performances at the famous Comedy Store. Mavis later admitted she never imagined herself getting married — until she met Jay.
“I always had this idea that I would never get married,” she once told People in 1987. “But with Jay, I began to realize that this was the first time I was ever with someone where I had a perfect, calm sense of having arrived at my destination.”
In 1980, the two tied the knot, beginning a marriage built on friendship, humor, and deep respect. Jay often said the secret to their lasting relationship was simple: “Marry your conscience. Marry someone who’s the person you wish you could be, and it works out okay.”
For decades, Jay and Mavis were inseparable — partners in every sense of the word. But in 2024, their love faced one of its hardest tests when Mavis was diagnosed with advanced dementia. While many in his position might have stepped back, Jay stepped up — determined to care for the woman who had stood beside him through everything.