It was previously reported the comedian Jay Leno’s beloved wife Mavis, who he’s been married to since 1980, no longer recognizes him at times as she battles “advanced dementia.”
In a new interview, Jay and Mavis are opening up to reveal that their Christian faith is helping them to get through this difficult time.
Check out a photo of Jay and Mavis below.
Jay And Mavis Lean On Faith
Jay and Mavis reemerged this week to present the inaugural Mavis Leno Award for Global Women’s Rights. When asked by Fox News if their strong faith and family has been helping them as of late, Jay replied, “all of that.”
“Exactly. It’s the whole thing. We’ve been married 44 years. It gets easier. It doesn’t get harder,” he continued.
Jay, 74, went on to talk about how close he and Mavis, 77, continue to be despite her diagnosis.
“We do everything together,” the former “Tonight Show” host explained. “I go home every night, make dinner and sit around. We enjoy each other’s company.”
Though the couple are set to celebrate their 45th wedding anniversary next year, Jay hasn’t thought about how they will do that yet.
“I haven’t thought about that,” he said. “It’ll be similar to the 43rd and the 44th.”
Check out an interview with Jay and Mavis on the red carpet for the Feminist Majority Foundation’s 16th annual Global Women’s Rights Awards Gala on Tuesday in the video below.
Related: Jay Leno’s Wife Sometimes No Longer Recognizes Him As She Battles ‘Advanced Dementia’
Jay Becomes Emotional Praising Mavis
When he took the stage to present the award that is named after his wife, Jay could not help but become emotional. He described Mavis as “the smartest thing I’ve ever done.”
“We have a lot of fun. People say marriage is difficult. I don’t get it,” Jay said, adding that he enjoys “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 concluded. “I am part of her legacy and that’s what I’m proudest of.”
This comes after Jay filed legal papers in a Los Angeles court back in January asking that he be appointed as Mavis’ conservator.
“[Mavis] lacks the necessary capacity to execute the estate plan” due to her “major neurocognitive disorders (including dementia),” the court documents alleged.
Jay wrote in the documents that he and Mavis have had a “loving marriage for more than 43 years.” He added that he “has always handled the couple’s finances.”
Find out more about this in the video below.
Related: Jay Leno Enjoys Red Carpet Date Night With His Wife As She Battles Dementia
Mavis Sometimes Doesn’t Recognize Jay
Sadly, these documents also revealed that Mavis’ dementia has progressed to the point where she sometimes no longer recognizes her husband.
“According to (Mavis’) neurologist, Dr. Hart Cohen, she has advanced dementia, sometimes does not know her husband Jay, nor her date of birth,” said Ronald Ostrin, Mavis’ court-appointed attorney. It should be noted that he supported the petition.
“She has lots of disorientation, will ruminate about her parents who have both passed and her mother who died about 20 years ago,” he added.
A judge granted the conservatorship last month. Find out more about this in the video below.
This is clearly a very difficult time for the entire Leno family. Please join us in saying a prayer for them.
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