Ashley Judd Found Mom Naomi After Self Inflicted Gunshot Wound
It’s been less than two weeks since Wynonna and Ashley Judd lost their mother, Naomi. Though she suffered from mental health issues for many years, The Judds were set to head out on tour this year. Sadly, that would never happen. Now Ashley is sharing exactly how her mother took her life.
Ashley Judd Loses Her Mother
The country world was devasted when Ashley and her older sister broke the news that their mother, Naomi had passed away. She was just seventy-six. Even those who did not care for her music cared for her and were in complete shock. Even worse, the fact that she died due to mental illness was even more tragic. Naomi had long been an advocate for mental health awareness, according to People. In 2018, she wrote an open letter for Mental Health Awareness week:
“For everyone mourning the death of someone who committed suicide, an inevitable question arises: Why did this happen? Unfortunately, we don’t have very good answers,” wrote the musician at the time. “We do know that suicidal behavior accompanies many behavioral brain disorders such as schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, and depression. Suicide is actually one of the leading causes of preventable death among these mental illnesses.”
In 2016, the singer wrote a book detailing her personal struggles with suicidal depression. Prior to her passing, The Judds were preparing for the induction to Nashville’s Country Music Hall of Fame. Sadly, Wynonna had to accept the honor on behalf of her and her late mother. Soon, rumors started circulating about how exactly Naomi died. Now, Ashley is speaking out for the first time and setting the record straight.
A Tragic Ending
Ashley Judd spoke with Diane Sawyer on Good Morning America where she opened up about the devastating day that she found her mother. “So I was at the house visiting as I am every day. And Mom said to me, ‘Will you stay with me?’ and I said, ‘Of course I will.” For a brief time, Ashley left her mother’s side as a “comforting person” had arrived and she went to go greet them, per Us Weekly. She went back inside to tell her mom of her friend’s arrival when she discovered Naomi. “I have both grief and trauma from discovering her.”
Additionally, Ashley shared that Naomi died by suicide and it was a firearm that took her life. She admits this is not something the family is all that comfortable with sharing yet they would rather be the ones to tell the story than someone else. “My mother, our mother, couldn’t hang on until she was inducted into the Country Hall of Fame by her peers. I mean, that is the level of catastrophe of what was going on inside of her. … The lie that the disease told her was so convincing. … [The lie] that you’re not enough, the lie that you’re not loved, that you’re not worthy. Her brain hurt. It physically hurt.”
Ashley also made it extremely clear that anyone who has these feelings needs to be open about them as there are resources and there is help. Deepest thoughts and prayers are with the family and how brave is Ashley for being so courageous as to share this story?
*If you or someone you know is in emotional distress or considering suicide, call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-TALK (8255).*
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