John Lennon’s Son Shares Rare Update on His Reclusive Mom Yoko Ono

Sean Ono Lennon is opening up about life with his legendary mother, Yoko Ono, as she quietly enjoys her golden years far from the spotlight.

“She’s slowed down a lot, and she’s retired,” Sean told CBS Sunday Morning’s Anthony Mason. “She lives in Upstate New York, so I see her half the year.”

Now 92, the avant-garde artist and widow of Beatle John Lennon has retreated to her 600-acre rural estate, where, according to her daughter Kyoko, she spends her days “listening to the wind and watching the sky.”

For decades, Ono has been the guardian of Lennon’s legacy — overseeing projects like the Strawberry Fields memorial in Central Park, the Imagine Peace Tower in Iceland, and the John Lennon Museum in Japan. But these days, Sean says it’s his turn to carry the torch.

“That’s why I’m kind of trying to do the work she used to do,” he explained. “She deserves to sit back.”

Ono hasn’t made a public appearance since 2018, when she joined Ringo Starr and Jeff Bridges for a “Bed-In” event in New York City honoring Lennon’s message of peace. But her influence still ripples through pop culture.

“I’m just doing my best to help make sure the younger generation doesn’t forget about The Beatles and John and Yoko,” Sean said. “I feel like I owe it to them. It’s personal.”

In 2024, Sean honored his mom again while accepting an Oscar for Happy Xmas (War Is Over), the animated short inspired by his parents’ iconic song. “Happy Mother’s Day, Yoko!” he said on stage with a smile.

It’s a full-circle moment for the son of one of music’s most famous love stories — one that began in 1966 and still inspires the world to “imagine” peace nearly six decades later.