At 74, Jay Leno Prepares for the Inevitable, Sets Aside Fortune for His Cars — ‘No One Lives Forever

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!

I Found Earphones under My Floor-Bed and They Turned My World Upside Down

Who would’ve known that something small discovered in my house would lead me down a dark rabbit hole? Lies and secrets came to light as I unraveled the truth about a marriage I once thought was solid. It all ended with me getting revenge and peace.

Headphones on a pink and blue background | Source: Freepik

Headphones on a pink and blue background | Source: Freepik

My husband, John, and I, Linda, have been happily married for five years. But sometimes the smallest things can shake the strongest foundations. That’s what happened the week I returned from a work trip.

I found something unsettling in my home—earphones, but not any earphones.

This mysterious third set was tucked under our floor-bed, a place I had just rearranged before leaving town. My husband, always a creature of habit, has a particular taste in tech. His earphones are always black and practical, matching everything else on his desk.

A couple reading books and talking | Source: Pexels

A couple reading books and talking | Source: Pexels

Mine? I keep them with me, standard white, nothing fancy. So, when I discovered a third set under our bed, beige with gold accents, my curiosity piqued. Naturally, I confronted him. His response, which included brushing off my confusion with a shrug, was:

“Oh, those old things, they’re mine. I wondered what happened to them.”

A man reading a book and writing notes while looking at someone | Source: Pexels

A man reading a book and writing notes while looking at someone | Source: Pexels

Something didn’t sit right with me about his response, and I found this whole thing odd. The color was off; his nonchalance was too forced. I chose to say nothing more at the moment, replying, “Oh okay…,” though my mind raced with questions.

Instead, I snapped a photo and, although it was a long shot, I turned to social media for help. I posted it on my Facebook page with a message:

“Found these in my living room after my son’s birthday party. If you recognize these earphones, please message me directly.”

A woman's hands texting something on a laptop | Source: Pexels

A woman’s hands texting something on a laptop | Source: Pexels

It wasn’t long before I received a message that turned my world upside down. The message that popped up on my screen made my heart skip a beat! I gasped and screamed in shock when I realized who the earphones belonged to. My sister-in-law (SIL), Rachel claimed them.

A chill went down my spine as I tried to understand how they had ended up under our bed.

She had been at our house for my son’s birthday party, a week before my trip.

A shocked woman looking at her phone with a laptop on a desk | Source: Pexels

A shocked woman looking at her phone with a laptop on a desk | Source: Pexels

In a quick response, she responded to my post, saying, “So sorry, Linds. I think I must have dropped and forgotten about them during the party.” Her casual explanation did very little to ease my growing suspicion.

I couldn’t shake the nagging feeling of doubt.

Rachel and my husband had always been close—too close. My gut now told me as I wondered if there was more to their relationship. I decided to keep a closer eye on them and their interactions. Feigning ignorance while I sought the truth.

A worried woman contemplating something | Source: Shutterstock

A worried woman contemplating something | Source: Shutterstock

A few days passed, and my suspicion only deepened when I noticed they were together more often than usual. I’d catch them whispering and laughing. “You’re so funny, Jonny!” Rachel would say to my husband while sitting too close to him.

Their ease around each other now seemed less innocent. I needed more than suspicions; I needed proof.

So, instead of confronting them immediately, I decided to investigate without arousing any suspicion.

A man and woman talking and laughing | Source: Pexels

A man and woman talking and laughing | Source: Pexels

Under the guise of another work trip, I told my husband I’d be out of town for a few days. Instead, I stayed at a local establishment, using this time to watch our home discreetly.

I rented a car, an unrecognized one, and stationed myself near our home.

That first night of my “trip,” I watched as Rachel arrived at my house shortly after John got home from work. Her casual demeanor as she walked in, as if it were her own home, was all I needed to see. It confirmed that she’d done this before.

A woman sitting in a car holding a phone, wearing earphones, with a laptop on her lap | Source: Pexels

A woman sitting in a car holding a phone, wearing earphones, with a laptop on her lap | Source: Pexels

I had prepared for this to get tangible evidence. Earlier, I had installed discreet motion-activated cameras in our living room and near the entrance. Safely hidden away in my car later that evening, I watched the live feed on my laptop.

The images that unfolded were a painful confirmation of my worst fears! Their behavior went from innocent chats to close, intimate, and unmistakable. It was unlike what you’d expect from a brother-in-law and SIL and tore through my heart like a knife.

My worst fears were confirmed.

An unhappy-looking woman looking at something while in a car | Source: Pexels

An unhappy-looking woman looking at something while in a car | Source: Pexels

I gathered evidence over the next few days, documenting the affair meticulously through the cameras and other means. Heartbroken yet resolute, I devised a plan for a dramatic revelation. This time I was armed with undeniable proof.

The annual family reunion was approaching. I knew it would be the perfect moment when our close and extended family members would be present. I “returned” home after my “trip” and pretended nothing was wrong.

A woman removing bags from a car | Source: Getty Images

A woman removing bags from a car | Source: Getty Images

As our family gathered for the reunion, I continued pretending everything was normal. The room filled with relatives, buzzing with laughter and conversation. They enjoyed the festivities while catching up.

Under the pretext of showing a family photo slideshow, I quietly set up a projector. Then, the lights dimmed and everyone settled down to watch as I began the slideshow. Instead of fond family memories, the first images to flash across the screen were freeze frames of my husband and Rachel.

It showed them in compromising positions from the footage in the house.

A woman sitting with a screen and people in the background | Source: Freepik

A woman sitting with a screen and people in the background | Source: Freepik

“I gathered you all here under happier pretenses, but we need to address the painful truth,” I announced. My voice was steady, masking the chaos inside. The shock was palpable; the room fell silent except for the murmurs of disbelief as I said:

“What you are seeing is the reality of an ongoing betrayal in our family, one that affects us all.”

People reacted with gasps, murmurs, and disbelief as the evidence of John’s infidelity played. I wanted everyone to see and understand the depth of deceit from my husband and Rachel.

A group of people reacting in shock to something | Source: Getty Images

A group of people reacting in shock to something | Source: Getty Images

The cheating pair caught off guard, could only sit frozen. They listened and watched from their different seats. As the evidence played out before everyone, there was no room for denial. They had no chance for them to twist the narrative.

The facade they’d held all along finally fell away as family members looked at them with judgment and disgust. It was a moment of bittersweet vindication. My marital trust shattered, but it marked the beginning of my journey toward healing and closure.

The truth was out, and now, it was time to rebuild, on my own terms.

A happy woman playing with her son | Source: Pexels

A happy woman playing with her son | Source: Pexels

Linda’s story isn’t the only one where the wife discovers something that leads them to realize their husband is cheating. Tom’s wife, in a similar tale, found out the truth about her husband’s infidelity through social media too!

I Accidentally Discovered My Husband’s Cheating through an IG Post — My Public Revenge Shook His World

As dawn broke, I held my six-week-old daughter, Lily, feeling the weight of the morning’s change. Tom, my husband, was packing for a business trip, his first since Lily’s birth. Previously, his trips were routine, but now, they brought a heaviness I couldn’t shake.

Someone's packed luggage, ready for a trip | Source: Getty Images

Someone’s packed luggage, ready for a trip | Source: Getty Images

Despite Tom’s reassurances, my anxiety was confirmed when I stumbled upon an Instagram photo showing him at a restaurant, not alone, but with Eliza. The woman was his university friend who disliked me. Shocked and betrayed, I resolved to uncover the truth.

A woman holding a baby while looking at her phone | Source: Getty Images

A woman holding a baby while looking at her phone | Source: Getty Images

I orchestrated a baby shower that turned into an expose. Amidst a slideshow of Lily’s photos, I included the incriminating image from Instagram. The room’s warmth turned to whispers of disbelief as Tom’s facade crumbled.

People reacting in shock and surprise about something | Source: Getty Images

People reacting in shock and surprise about something | Source: Getty Images

My husband’s pleas fell on deaf ears as I stood firm, ending the event and our marriage with calm resolve. As I initiated the divorce, I knew Lily and I were ready to move forward, stronger and together.

A happy woman watching a baby sleep | Source: Getty Images

A happy woman watching a baby sleep | Source: Getty Images

This work is inspired by real events and people, but it has been fictionalized for creative purposes. Names, characters, and details have been changed to protect privacy and enhance the narrative. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, or actual events is purely coincidental and not intended by the author.

The author and publisher make no claims to the accuracy of events or the portrayal of characters and are not liable for any misinterpretation. This story is provided “as is,” and any opinions expressed are those of the characters and do not reflect the views of the author or publisher.

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