Jay Leno granted conservatorship of wife Mavis following dementia diagnosis

Jay Leno, left, and Mavis Leno walk the red carpet during the Kennedy Center's Mark Twain Prize for American Humor at the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts on Oct. 19, 2014, in Washington, D.C. (Kris Connor/Getty Images/TNS)
Jay Leno, left, and Mavis Leno walk the red carpet during the Kennedy Center's Mark Twain Prize for American Humor at the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts on Oct. 19, 2014, in Washington, D.C. (Kris Connor/Getty Images/TNS)

Jay Leno on Tuesday was officially granted conservatorship of his wife, Mavis, amid her ongoing struggles with degenerative brain disease.

Mavis Leno, 77, has been diagnosed with advanced dementia and "sometimes does not know her husband," according to her doctors.

The former "Tonight Show" host, who has been married to Mavis for more than 40 years, filed for conservatorship in January as her health declined from Alzheimer's, the most common form of dementia.

"Unfortunately, Mavis has been progressively losing capacity and orientation to space and time for several years," read the original petition.

While it's unclear when Mavis was first diagnosed, her husband reportedly delayed seeking conservatorship "out of respect to her."

Leno, 73, further said he was only seeking conservatorship over her estate to set up a living trust to provide for her care in case he's unable. Leno suffered serious burns in November 2022 when a car in his garage caught fire and broke multiple bones in a motorcycle accident in January 2023.

During Tuesday's hearing at Los Angeles County Superior Court, an attorney for Mavis agreed with the conservatorship decision and said his client is "receiving excellent care with her husband," according to People.

Earlier this month, Mavis' court-appointed counsel, Ronald Ostrin, recommended the approval of Jay's petition. He also described their relationship as "long-term, loving and supportive."

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