Jay Leno, 74, gets emotional as he discusses caring for dementia-stricken wife Mavis, 77, and says marrying her was ‘the smartest thing I’ve ever done’… after being appointed her conservator

Jay Leno stepped out with his longtime wife Mavis at a women’s rights awards ceremony in Los Angeles earlier this week.

The late night legend, 74, cares for his dementia-stricken wife, 77, and was recently named her conservator.

Leno discussed their marriage at the Feminist Majority Foundation’s 16th annual Global Women’s Rights Awards & Gala Fox news that he and Mavis are closer than ever.

‘We have been married for 44 years. It gets easier. It doesn’t get any harder,” he said.

‘We do everything together. I go home every night, prepare dinner and sit down. We enjoy each other’s company,” he added.

Leno was affectionate with a beaming Mavis as they posed for photos on the red carpet, as he wrapped his arm protectively around her shoulder and pulled her close.

The couple took to the gala stage later that evening, where Leno choked back tears as he said marrying the philanthropist was “the smartest thing I ever did.”

“We’re having a lot of fun,” he cheered to the crowd.

‘People say marriage is hard. I do not understand. I enjoy her company. I enjoy taking care of her. We’re having fun.

‘She is the most independent woman I have ever known. Again, I just couldn’t be more proud of her.”

He added: “I am part of her legacy and that is what I am most proud of.”

A lifelong philanthropist, Mavis has chaired the Feminist Majority Foundation’s Campaign to Stop Gender Apartheid in Afghanistan since 1997.

The dementia Mavis suffers from has progressed so much that she sometimes doesn’t recognize him and doesn’t remember her date of birth, according to court documents found by DailyMail.com earlier this year.

The former Tonight Show host filed a petition with the Los Angeles Superior Court in January to be appointed conservator of 77-year-old Mavis, saying her condition leaves her unable to manage her own affairs.

In a filing in support of Leno’s petition, her court-appointed attorney, Ronald Ostrin, sheds new light on Mavis’s declining mental capacity, which has brought grief to the couple’s otherwise “perfect” marriage of 43 years.

“According to (Mavis’) neurologist Dr. Hart Cohen, she has advanced dementia and sometimes does not know her husband Jay or her date of birth,” Ostrin said.

‘She has a lot of disorientation, worries about her parents who are both deceased and her mother who died about twenty years ago.’

Dr. Cohen — who was called in to treat Mavis after she was in a car accident in 2018 — told Ostrin that Leno, 73, “loves his wife very much and wanted to discuss this matter out of respect for her.”

“He said Mr. Leno is such a nice man and treats Mavis like gold.”

Ostrin says he has all of Dr.’s medical records. Cohen reviewed — including details about the prescription medications she’s already taking “for the care and treatment of severe neurocognitive disorders (including dementia)” — before speaking privately with Mavis herself.

“We were able to talk for a long time and we discussed her wishes and desires about the procedure (the curatorship) and about her testamentary wishes,” he writes.

‘Mrs. Leno was a wonderful person, and even though it was clear that she had a cognitive disability, she still had a charming personality and could communicate.

‘She indicated that she would like to vote and told me something about her philanthropic work.

“She had great confidence in Mr. Leno and relied on him for her protection and guidance.”

After completing his investigation into Mavis’ condition and also interviewing Leno, Ostrin supported the comedian’s motion for conservatorship, which is expected to be heard on April 9 in a downtown LA court.

‘Mr. and Ms. Leno have a long-standing, loving and supportive relationship,” he said. “They have enough resources to provide Ms. Leno with a safe and least restrictive environment. Mrs. Leno seemed very happy in their cozy environment.

“However, no one lives forever and Mr. Leno’s actions are necessary to protect him and Mavis.

“Estate planning is something that almost everyone needs, but by the time you need it, if you don’t have it, it’s too late to get it. This petition is intended to provide Mavis with that protection with the protection of judicial oversight.

“Mavis has no objection to the request, nor to Mr. Leno’s actions as her trustee of her estate. She agrees and wants that. Mr. Leno is her protector and she trusts him.

“Based on my interactions with Mr. Leno, plus some research, he appears to be a standup guy and his private persona matches the public persona he projects.”

While recommending that the court appoint Jay as his wife’s conservator, Ostrin added, “The main purpose of the petition is to be able to protect Mavis if something happens to Mr. Leno, but otherwise to protect Ms. Leto’s lifestyle.” to disrupt as little as possible and preserve her life. her dignity and guarantees her safety.

“It is the sensible thing to do and at least at this point Mavis’ cognitive skills will allow her to provide input on her testamentary wishes that may impact the estate planning process.”

In a brief exclusive interview with DailyMail.com in January, shortly after filing for the conservatorship, Leno said of Mavis, “She’s doing well, everyone’s doing well, we’re doing well. I just made a will in case something happens.”

In his lawsuit, Leno’s attorneys said Mavis “lacks the necessary capacity to execute the estate plan” because of her “severe neurocognitive impairment (including dementia).”

The legal papers describe him as having a “loving marriage” to his wife of more than 43 years, noting that he has “always handled the couple’s finances” and wanted to ensure she had “managed sufficient assets to to provide for her care if Jay were to die. Mavis

“Jay is fully capable of continuing his support of Mavis’ physical and financial needs as he has done throughout their marriage.

“Jay wants to execute an estate plan, including a revocable trust and will, that will provide for Mavis and Mavis’ brother and her only living heir besides Jay.”

Leno was officially appointed conservator in April, with the judge stating that Mavis was taking “very good” care of Leno.