Sheinelle Jones Details Late Husband Uche’s Reaction to New Book

“He was a triathlete, he was super competitive,” she explained. “And even moments when I thought, ‘Gosh, I don’t have it in me to finish this book or try to plan some ten-city tour,’ I have to do it. In some ways, I just feel like I’m running for both of us, and our kids.”

So, when Through Mom’s Eyes sprinted its way to the top of The New York Times bestseller list, Sheinelle joked she was “surprised it didn’t rain or something” as a celebratory sign.

After all, Uche was one of her earliest supporters when it occurred to her in 2020 to turn her onscreen series on moms into a book. “It seemed like this lofty dream,” she recalled, “and at the time my husband was like, ‘Try it. Let’s just do it.’”

And while Sheinelle—mom to kids Kayin, 16, and 13-year-old twins Clara and Uche—finally feels comfortable giving herself the kudos for all she’s accomplished in the last year, this is not to say her grief doesn’t knock her legs out from under her when she least expects it. 

“For the big holidays, I feel like you fortify yourself,” she reflected. “Christmas, Thanksgiving—you’re ready for those. Those aren’t the moments that get me. It’s the Sunday morning. It’s the Tuesday at four. It’s the beautiful day outside and I’m walking down the street and everybody’s dining al fresco. Those are the moments, that I think are a work in progress for me.”

Grief can be a very lonely and isolating experience—which is why the reception to Through Mom’s Eyes has made all the difference.

“The amount of folks who come up to me, whether they’re a mom or maybe they’re a widow or maybe they’re a single mom or maybe they went to Northwestern like I did, all the boxes—it’s this fellowship,” Sheinelle explained. “In the book, I say, ‘Welcome to the biggest mom village.’ I really believe it. It helps us all. I just want whoever’s reading it to not feel alone. Like I just want us to all be in this together.”

And as she approaches some more challenging milestones—such as the first anniversary of Uche’s death—not only is Sheinelle not alone, but Uche will always be with her. 

“We don’t move on, but we move forward,” she said, “with him.”

Through Mom’s Eyes: Simple Wisdom From Mothers Who Raised Extraordinary Humans is available now for purchase. 

For more on the special moments Sheinelle and Uche shared together, read on.