As a multiple award winner, Jon Batiste is a familiar name in the American entertainment industry, earning global recognition for his diverse roles as a musician, bandleader, and television personality. Throughout his acclaimed career, he shares these achievements with his long-time sweetheart and now wife, Suleika Jaouad.
Who is Jon Batiste’s wife? She is Suleika Jaouad. Suleika is an Emmy award-winning journalist, writer, advocate, and motivational speaker. She is best known as the New York Times bestselling author of Between Two Kingdoms.
10 shocking facts about Suleika Jaouad
Despite crafting an impressive career as an artist and writer, Suleika Jaouad faced health challenges, including a prolonged battle with leukaemia. Nonetheless, she discovered solace in artistic expression. Leveraging her struggle, she has authored pieces chronicling her journey and ongoing fight for wellness. Discover even more intriguing facts about her.
She was born in New York
Suleika Jaouad, age 35, was born in New York City, United States, on 5 July 1988. Her name, of Arabic origin, means “brilliant beauty.” Regarding Suleika Jaouad’s parents, she was born to a Muslim father from Tunisia and a Swiss Catholic mother, making her an American citizen with mixed ethnicity. Her father, Hédi, taught French at Skidmore College in Saratoga Springs, New York, while her mother, Anne, was an artist.
Suleika Jaouad holds two degrees
Suleika Jaouad, Jon Batiste’s wife, attended The Juilliard School, participating in the pre-college program for the double bass. She later earned her BA from Princeton University, contributing to the university Orchestra. She also obtained an MFA in writing and literature from Bennington College.
She is an author, journalist, speaker, and artist
She is the best-selling author of Between Two Kingdoms: A Memoir of a Life Interrupted, a book that encapsulates her cancer journey. In addition to Suleika Jaouad’s book, her essays and reported features have been published in various publications such as Vogue, Glamour, The Atlantic, NPR’s All Things Considered, and Women’s Health.
Beyond her writing talent, she is a skilled painter and was previously an artist in residence at ArtYard, Ucross, and the Kerouac Project. As a speaker, Jaouad shares her story through various engagements globally. Sulieka Jaouad’s TED Talk, discussing life after cancer, has garnered nearly five million views.
She was diagnosed with leukaemia at 22
Fresh out of university, Jaouad faced a diagnosis of acute myeloid leukaemia, a form of leukaemia that targets the blood and bone marrow. Due to Suleika Jaouad’s illness, she was given a 35% chance of survival. She also documented her experience as a young adult battling cancer in the New York Times column and video series Life, Interrupted, which won an Emmy Award. In her words, she said:
Cancer has forced me to pause my life at a time when my peers are just beginning theirs. Like my peers, I have yet to fully define who I want to become. But as a young cancer patient, it’s difficult to see ahead when I’m fighting for my life. I don’t know what the future holds. I just know I want to be there.
Jaouad faced and Batiste first met at a band camp
The couple first crossed paths when they were teenagers. They initially met at band camp when she was 13 and he was 14. The pair reconnected 12 years later when Batiste visited her in the hospital while she was undergoing treatment for her leukaemia.
She received another leukaemia diagnosis in November 2021
In December 2021, Jaouad announced in her newsletter that her leukaemia had returned, and she was undergoing chemotherapy with a scheduled bone marrow transplant.
But how is Jon Batiste’s wife doing? She is recovering well. In September 2023, her husband Batiste updated his wife’s health: It’s a miracle. She’s doing so much better after her [bone marrow] transplant. Everything is going as great as it can go, and we just pray that it continues.
She and Batiste got married in February 2022
Jon Batiste and Suleika Jaouad disclosed their clandestine marriage in February 2022, just before her bone marrow transplant. Opting for an intimate setting, the couple exchanged vows in the comfort of their home, surrounded by close family members, ensuring the ceremony was a deeply private affair.
Batiste is a cancer advocate dedicated to charity
Transforming her cancer journey into advocacy, Suleika Jaouad actively supports those affected by the illness. With notable roles on Barack Obama’s Presidential Cancer Panel, the Bone Marrow and Cancer Foundation, and Family Reach’s national advisory board, she extends her impact.
Beyond cancer, Suleika passionately engages in charitable causes, from social justice to prison reform. She has also been recognised with the Red Door Advocacy & Community Service Award and honoured by the Brooklyn Public Library alongside Batiste for contributions to music and literature.
She is active on social media
The author has maintained an active social media presence, updating her audience on her health journey. Sulieka Jaouad’s Instagram and Twitter accounts, with over 171,000 and 30,000 followers, are well-utilised platforms. She announced a remarkable 100-Day Project in March 2022 and regularly shares writings while proudly displaying her Arabic roots.
She supports Jon Batiste’s career
Amidst Sulieka Jaouad’s health challenges, she has steadfastly supported her husband Jon Batiste’s career. In a symbiotic bond, Jon has reciprocated, standing by Sulieka through her health struggles. Their public appearances at events like the 71st Emmy Awards, 69th Annual Primetime Emmy Awards, and the 50th Telluride Film Festival in 2023 reflect a shared commitment to each other’s journeys.
Notably, Jon Batiste’s impressive career has accumulated significant wealth. According to Celebrity Net Worth, as of 2023, Jon Batiste’s net worth is estimated to be an impressive $4 million.
Jon Batiste’s wife’s cancer challenges have only proven her resilience and strength. Suleika has shown she is more than a companion; she shares a profound creativity and artistic bond with him, strengthening their union. Together, they exemplify true love and support, demonstrating their ability to overcome challenges.
