Hearts broke around the world when it was revealed beloved country music star Naomi Judd had passed away on Saturday. Part of the Grammy-award-winning duo The Judds, Naomi was 76-years-old.
One day after the matriarch’s death, her daughters Wynonna and Ashley Judd broke down at the Country Music Hall of Fame inductee ceremony as The Judds were finally included in the prestigious award ceremony.
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TW: This article contains discussions of mental illness and may be triggering to some readers.
Country music fans were shocked to learn that legend Naomi Judd had passed away on Saturday.
Daughters Ashley, 54, and Wynonna, 57, announced that they had lost their mother to the “disease of mental illness.”
“We are shattered,” the women said in a joint statement on social media.
“We are navigating profound grief and know that as we loved her, she was loved by her public. We are in unknown territory.”
Naomi revealed in 2016 that she had battled severe depression and anxiety since she and her daughter stopped touring back in 2012.
In 2016, Naomi published a book detailing her journey with mental illness.
The book, titled “River of Time: My Descent into Depression and How I Emerged with Hope,” was the singer’s way of reaching out to fans to let them know they’re not alone.
Speaking with “Good Morning America” at the time, the “Love Can Build A Bridge” singer explained the difficulties of struggling with depression while being in the public eye.
“What I’ve been through is extreme. My final diagnosis was severe depression,” she told Robin Roberts, as per People.
“[Fans] see me in rhinestones, you know, with glitter in my hair, that really is who I am,” she explained.
“But then I would come home and not leave the house for three weeks, and not get out of my pajamas, and not practice normal hygiene. It was really bad.”
During that same interview, Naomi explained that her depression was “treatment-resistant” which was leading to health complications.
“Treatment resistant because they tried me on every single thing they had in their arsenal. It really felt like, if I live through this I want someone to be able to see that they can survive.”
Naomi’s mental illness landed her in various psychiatric wards over the years.
She told “Today” that some of the pills she had been prescribed caused her hands to shake and her face to swell up “like a balloon.”
“I really haven’t been eating ice cream and candy,” she said playfully. “I really haven’t.”
On Sunday night, Wynonna and Ashley Judd stepped on stage to induct their late mother into the Country Music Hall of Fame.
“My mama loved you so much,” Ashley told the audience, as reported by Page Six . “And I’m sorry that she couldn’t hang on until today.
“Your esteem for her and your regard for her really penetrated her heart,” the singer continued, “and it was your affection for her that did keep her going in the last years.”
Wynonna went on to joke that she had not prepared much of a speech because she “assumed Mama would be doing all the talking.”
If you or someone you know is struggling with depression, please visit the resources found here.
