Sheinelle Jones Went Back to Northwestern and Stood on the Corner Where She Met Her Late Husband

Sheinelle Jones returned to Northwestern University on October 2 to accept the 2026 Distinguished Alumnae Award, and the ceremony location turned the honor into something far more personal. Scott Hall sits on the exact corner where she met her late husband, Uche Ojeh, when they were both students. Her 17-year-old son, Kayin, was by her side for the moment, and during her speech, she shared something he had never heard: Uche proposed to her years later on the rocks along Lake Michigan.

Ojeh died last year at 45 after a glioblastoma diagnosis. Reflecting on her son, who is now the same age she was when she met his dad, Jones said,“I met his dad the same age he is now,”and admitted that while she can’t make sense of everything that has happened,“in that moment, it was like, I’m gonna be okay.”After the ceremony, Kayin explored campus with serious enthusiasm, trying to land himself on the jumbotron at Ryan Field and making friends in a dorm. Jones is also mom to 14-year-old twins Clara and Uche Jr.

The story resonates because most of us have a place that holds our biggest chapters, a campus, a coffee shop, a stretch of shoreline. Jones reminded us that returning to those places can bring comfort, even years later. If you’ve lost someone, what spot would you go back to? Tell us in the comments.