After leaving behind his successful career as the host of late-night talk shows, Jay Leno launched a web series on nbc.com (2015 to 2022) about cars.
Jay Leno’s Garage, now appearing to more than 3.7 million subscribers on YouTube, allows the comedian to share his passion for cars and bikes with his audience.
In November 2022, the former Tonight Show host was badly burned when a fire broke out in his Burbank, California garage.
“I got some serious burns from a gasoline fire.” Leno told Variety at the time “I am OK. Just need a week or two to get back on my feet.”
According to reports, the now 74-year-old man was working under a car when the fire sparked. He suffered third degree burns on his face and got a new left ear after losing his first one to the fire.
Unfortunately, his luck didn’t get any better.
Only two months after the fire, he suffered a broken collarbone, two cracked ribs and two cracked kneecaps in a motorcycle accident.
‘Treats Mavis like gold’
Despite his body breaking down with aging, passion-related accidents and high cholesterol, the one thing that holds strong in his life is his love for Mavis, who he married in 1980.
“I always tell guys when they meet a woman, ‘Marry your conscience. Marry someone who’s the person you wish you could be and it works out okay.” Leno tells People of his enduring love with Mavis, now 77.
After 45 years together, the childless couple started facing some hardships.
Mavis was diagnosed with dementia and her condition is rapidly declining.
In April 2024, Leno was granted a conservatorship over his wife’s estate by a Los Angeles Superior Court judge who ruled the measure was “necessary and appropriate.”
According to court documents obtained by Entertainment Tonight, “Mavis has been progressively losing capacity and orientation to space and time for several years.”
The filing also says and “Jay is fully capable of continuing support for Mavis’ physical and financial needs, as he has throughout their marriage,” but her “current condition renders her incapable of executing the estate plan.”
Included in the documents is a statement from her neurologist Dr. Cohen: “Sometimes [Mavis] does not know her husband, Jay, nor her date of birth.”
Cohen, Mavis’ attending doctor at Cedars Sinai, adds that Leno “loves his wife very much” and “treats [Mavis] like gold.”
‘No one lives forever’
Only months later, In Touch reports that Leno is now preparing for his own death, making end-of-life arrangements so his fortunes are delivered to the rightful beneficiaries.
The filing reads: “No one lives forever, and the actions taken by Mr. Leno are reasonable and necessary for his and Mavis’ protection. Mavis does not object to the petition and in my opinion consents to it. Mr. Leno is her protector, and she trusts him. This estate planning is in her best interest and protects her interests.”
Leno’s latest filing details provisions for Mavis’ care and discloses that the couple intends to stay in their home “for as long as reasonably possible,” using their money for “assistance from household employees or caregivers as may be necessary.”
If Leno dies first, “the estate will divide into the Leno Marital Trust…it will have the Leno Collection and any real property housing Leno Collection. It will be irrevocable, and the survivor receives all income, plus principal for reasonable support. After the survivor’s death, after-tax balance will be distributed, along with the Leno Trust to JDM.”
The Leno Collection is Leno’s collection of automobiles and motorcycles, that’s valued at more than $52 million, and any real property.
Leno also instructed the JDM Foundation, a charity he launched in 1988, to open a museum with his automobile collection, and he’s already named the three initial directors.
In addition, Leno is leaving $7 million to Mavis’ brother Rikki Nicholson, who lives next door, and to his nephew Richard Leno.
The court-appointed official said Leno’s amendments to the trust will likely be approved.
It’s hard to imagine a world without Jay Leno! Please let us know what you think and then share this story so we can send Leno and Mavis a lot of love!
Girls Visit Dad’s Grave in New Dresses, Find 2 Mysterious Boxes with Their Names
To honor their father’s last wish, two young girls visit his grave on his birthday to show him their cute new dresses. Near the headstone, they spot two beautifully wrapped boxes with their names on them, not knowing what surprises are inside.
Six-year-old Isla and her sister, Madison, who is eight, missed their dad, Brian, deeply. Since he had passed away, their lives felt different. They no longer sneaked cookies and ice cream from the kitchen at night, teamed up to tease their mom, or went shopping like they used to. Without Daddy Brian, those little adventures just weren’t the same.
“You’re spoiling those girls, Brian!” his wife, Linda, would often say with a laugh. “Why do you always gang up against me? I know you’re sneaking them treats from the pantry!”
“Well, I’ll spoil them for the rest of my life!” Brian would say, smiling widely. “They will always come first for me as long as I live! I’m sorry, honey, but you’ve got competition! And you know, I love all my girls—including you,” he’d say, hugging her.
Brian was that kind of person, always balancing everything with love. He was the perfect family man. But after he passed, everything changed. Isla and Madison grew quiet, and Linda, his wife, struggled to cope with his loss.
Linda’s last memories of Brian were heartbreaking. She watched him lose a battle to stage four cancer, feeling helpless. Doctors tried their best, but the illness took him away. Brian’s health kept getting worse, and one morning, he didn’t wake up. Isla and Madison had slept beside him in the hospital the night before, as Brian had asked. He probably sensed it was his last night with them.
At 4 a.m. the next day, Linda called the doctors, worried. They gently informed her, “Time of death: 4 a.m. Tuesday…” Linda was devastated, staring as they covered Brian’s face with a white hospital sheet.
After his death, Linda couldn’t bring herself to say goodbye. Her daughters, though, were braver—they attended his funeral. Linda, however, couldn’t bear to watch him being buried.
One of Brian’s last wishes was for his girls to visit him on his birthday, wearing their best outfits. “I want my little girls to look their prettiest. You must promise to visit me,” he had said. So, the day before his birthday, the girls asked Linda to take them shopping.
“Mommy,” Isla said, “Daddy loved my red dress. He got me one for my birthday. I want a red dress.”
“You can pick for me, Mom,” Madison added. “I want it to be Dad’s favorite color.”
Linda hesitated, still in grief. “I—I don’t think I can, girls,” she said, trying to avoid the topic.
“But we need to visit Daddy!” Isla insisted. “He wanted us to wear something pretty on his birthday.”
Linda’s heart softened, realizing she’d forgotten his birthday. “What did he ask you?” she asked, teary-eyed.
“Daddy wanted to see us in pretty dresses on his birthday,” Isla replied. “We have to go shopping, Mommy!”
Linda hadn’t known this was Brian’s last wish. Madison explained, “The night before he died, he held our hands and asked. Please, Mom? Isla misses Daddy a lot.”
Madison was wise for her age, sensing how important this was. Finally, she convinced Linda to go shopping.
“Alright,” Linda said. “Let’s get you both the prettiest outfits so Daddy knows what he’s missing!” She burst into tears, and her daughters hugged her.
“Dad wouldn’t want you to be sad, Mom,” Madison whispered.
The next day, on Brian’s birthday, the girls dressed up and walked hand-in-hand to his grave, with Linda following behind.
When they reached his grave, they spotted two wrapped boxes with their names on them. A small note on top said they were from Brian.
“Mommy!” Isla called out. “Look, Daddy left us gifts! He’s so silly—he doesn’t know we should give him gifts on his birthday!”
Madison exchanged a glance with Linda, understanding that the gifts couldn’t really be from Brian.
” Well, maybe he missed his daughters,” Linda smiled. “Go ahead and open them.”
The girls unwrapped the boxes, and Linda tried to hide her tears. Isla beamed with joy, while Madison cried for the first time since Brian’s death.
Inside each box was a lovely pair of pink Mary Janes and a letter from Brian.
“Shoes!” Isla exclaimed. “My favorite color!”
The letter read:
“My prettiest girls,
The angels here say you’re the most beautiful girls ever. I wanted to make you even prettier, so I picked these shoes. I hope you like them.
Remember, I’m not around you, but I’m always in your heart. I know you’re not sneaking cookies anymore. Don’t tell Mommy, but I saw her filling the pantry with cookies again! Next time, I want to hear stories about how you managed to sneak some. Just because Daddy isn’t there doesn’t mean you have to be perfectly good all the time.
Thank you for visiting me, and happy birthday to my beautiful girls. Daddy loves you and misses you.
With love,
Brian.”
“That’s too much to read!” Isla said. “Madison, what did Daddy say?”
Madison hugged her tightly. “He said he’s happy and wants us to be happy, too. He misses us. Thank you for this, Mom,” she added, knowing Linda was behind the gifts.
Linda smiled, grateful for her girls, who helped her step out of her grief and gave her the strength to honor Brian’s memory.
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