This Super Bowl 2025 Performer Stands by His Wife as She Faces Cancer for the 3rd Time

Jon Batiste has a special plan for his fans at the upcoming Super Bowl opening event. While preparing a memorable performance, he continues to support his wife, who is battling her third case of cancer.

On February 9, 2025, Batiste will perform the national anthem at Super Bowl LIX. As he maintains his presence in the music world, he also stays by his wife Suleika Jaouad’s side, who is fighting cancer for the third time. This is their love story.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, Jaouad shared on Instagram how they first met. She posted photos of the couple and explained she met Batiste when she was 13 and he was 14. Their meeting happened at a band camp, a place she finds embarrassing.

Over time, she has learned more about his creative process than from any school or book. One follower responded to her post, saying, “I didn’t know that! How adorable!”

Batiste developed an interest in music early, starting to play drums at age eight. By age 12, he had moved on to the piano, which he quickly learned. He has since become well known as a singer, composer, actor, arranger, and “harmonabord” artist.

In 2011, Jaouad received her first cancer diagnosis; doctors gave her a 35% chance of survival. She survived against the odds. After falling in love with Batiste, they married in February 2022, shortly after she was diagnosed with leukemia for the second time.

Jon Batiste and Suleika Jaouad celebrated their marriage at their new home after being together for eight years. Their quiet wedding, attended only by close family, marked a fresh start. Batiste described their house as a refuge, a place that reflects both of them and helps them recharge.

It took three years to renovate the house, carefully choosing and building furniture, and adding personal touches. Their wedding happened suddenly, a decision made just before her transplant. Batiste explained it was a meaningful moment in their lives.

They decided to marry when they realized they had little time before her treatment. Jaouad, author of “Between Two Kingdoms,” said her diagnosis didn’t prompt Batiste’s proposal. Instead, he had spent a year designing her engagement ring.

He stressed her illness did not influence his decision to propose. Her diagnosis only strengthened his desire to commit.

Jaouad recalled that they had wanted to marry from the beginning, happening within their first week of dating. She said, “We’ve had eight years. It wasn’t a quick decision.”

Months later, Batiste gave an update on her health, saying she was “improving.” He added, “Every day we pray, and she’s amazing,” noting that if you saw her, you wouldn’t guess what she’s enduring.

He described her resilience as she faces tough challenges, saying, “She can take the hardest moments and turn them into something meaningful. That’s just her style.”

In October 2023, she responded to questions about her prognosis after her second diagnosis, saying, “Less than that,” referring to earlier survival stats. She remained hopeful, believing that advances in medicine or finding a matching donor could improve her outlook. Then, worse news arrived.

In 2023, fans saw more of Jaouad’s cancer journey in the Netflix documentary “American Symphony.” Her cancer came back at the same time her husband debuted a symphony named after their film.

In one scene, the couple played Simon Says walking through a hospital corridor during her chemotherapy. Batiste said, “I want to take her pain away, but I can’t,” and added, “This is a test, a moment, and it’s nobody’s fault.”

Although they stayed hopeful, in late 2024, Jaouad shared heartbreaking news on Instagram. She posted various photos and videos, explaining that reviewing her camera roll is her yearly tradition.

She said that doing so made her feel grateful and brought her to tears. She revealed her cancer had returned again.

She reflected, “Getting cancer three times can make you feel hopeless. But these photos remind me that even in hard times, there is joy. Life has many faces, both brutal and beautiful.”

Fans responded positively, praising her beauty and strength. One commented, “You are stunning inside and out,” another called her “light personified,” and a third called her a “beautiful human.”

The couple remains focused on her health, but they also celebrate Batiste’s selection for Super Bowl LIX and his other successes.

In January 2025, Batiste confirmed he would perform at Super Bowl LIX in New Orleans. The show will be broadcast on Fox, and he plans to create a performance that will be remembered.

He said he will finalize his musical arrangement a week before the game. Recently, he also opened the Jon Batiste Jazz Club at the Baha Mar Resort in the Bahamas.

Jaouad shared a joyful photo with her husband on February 3, expressing gratitude for life. They celebrated winning a Grammy for Best Music Film for “American Symphony,” and also received Best Song Written for Visual Media.

She wrote on Instagram, “We couldn’t attend the ceremony, but we’re sending love from our sofa and thank everyone who helped make this film.”

Fans expressed their congratulations, calling it the “best love story,” saying they deserved all the awards and health, and complimenting their photo as a great couple.

Many looked forward to Batiste’s Super Bowl performance after seeing a short clip of him discussing it online. Fans hoped he will do well, with some joking that they should have had him perform in the halftime show instead.

Everyone hopes that Jaouad will go into remission and her illness never returns.