Ashley Judd addresses her mother Naomi Judd’s heartbreaking tragedy
2 min read
CREDIT: BETH GWINN/GETTY IMAGES
Ashley Judd opens up about her late mother’s Naomi Judd battle with mental illness in the wake of her suicide.
Here is everything you need to know.
Ashley Judd talks about her mother’s suicide
Ashley Judd recently appeared on the Healing podcast hosted by grief expert David Kessler.
The Divergent star got candid about her mother’s suicide as she detailed her method to cope with the pain.
Judd recalled during the interview, ‘I look back on my childhood and I realize I grew up with a mom who had an undiagnosed and untreated mental illness. And there are different behavioral expressions, interactions, flights of fancy, choices that she made that I understand were an expression of the disease.’
She added, ‘I understand that and know that she was in pain and can today understand that she was absolutely doing the best she could, and if she could have done it differently, she would have.’
The 54-year-old actress further shared that while she ‘didn’t cause’ her mom’s illness, she understands that she ‘couldn’t control it’ and ‘couldn’t cure it.’
She further continued, ‘My most ardent wish for my mother is that when she transitioned, she was hopefully able to let go of any guilt or shame that she carried for any shortcomings she may have had in her parenting of my sister and me.’
Judd then went on to note, ‘Because certainly on my end, all was forgiven long ago, all was forgiven long ago.’
More about Naomi Judd’s suicide
Famed country musician The Double Jeopardy star was found dead on 30th April 2022 from a self-inflicted gunshot wound after years of battling mental illness.
Naomi’s daughters, Ashley Judd and Wynonna Judd announced her death stating that she died from ‘the disease of mental illness.’
They wrote in a joint statement, ‘We are shattered. We are navigating profound grief and know that as we loved her, she was loved by her public. We are in unknown territory.’
Meanwhile, Wynonna and her mother, who comprised a musical duo called The Judds were set to be inducted into Nashville’s Country Music Hall of Fame a day following Naomi’s death.
However, Ashley joined Wynonna to accept the honor and paid tribute to their mother.
The Double Jeopardy star said, ‘My mama loved you so much and I’m sorry that she couldn’t hang on until today.’
She added, ‘Your esteem for her and your regard for her really penetrated her heart. It was your affection for her that did keep her going in the last years.’
