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Ashley Judd made an appearance at the White House on Tuesday, where she lent her platform and her story to promote the Biden Administration’s newly formed National Strategy for Suicide Prevention.
Ashley’s mother, singer Naomi Judd, died by suicide at age 76 on April 30, 2022. In commemoration of the upcoming second anniversary of that tragic day, she addressed the attendees at Tuesday’s events, and recalled her mother’s struggles with mental health and depression.
“I’m here because I am my beloved mother’s daughter and on the day she died, which will be the two-year anniversary in one week, the disease of mental illness was lying to her, and with great terror convinced her that it would never get better,” Ashley shared in her emotional address.
The actress explained that her mother had “lived most of her life with an untreated and undiagnosed mental illness that lied to her and stole from her… It stole from our family, and she deserved better.”
Ashley, 56, also revealed her own experiences with childhood trauma and the resulting depression — which she sought treatment for, and has managed to address with help and professional care.
“I’ve been in good recovery for 18 years and I’ve had a different outcome than my mother,” Ashley said. “I carry a message of hope and recovery.”
Ashely also shared some pictures from Tuesday’s event at the White House, as she promoted the Biden Administration’s new efforts to address the mental health crisis.
Shortly after Naomi’s death, Ashley spoke with Diane Sawyer, and revealed that she was the one who found her mother, who died from a self-inflicted gunshot wound, and later had to be the person who broke the news to Naomi’s husband, Larry Strickland.
Recalling her mother’s final day, Ashley explained, “It was a mixed day. I visit with my mom and pop every day when I’m home in Tennessee, so I was at the house visiting as I am every day. Mom said to me, ‘Will you stay with me?’ and I said, ‘Of course I will.’…I went upstairs to let her know that her good friend was there and I discovered her. I have both grief and trauma from discovering her.”
While Ashley said at the time that discussing her mother’s death is hard for her, she wants to help raise awareness for the reality of mental illness.
“When we’re talking about mental illness, it’s very important to be clear and to make the distinction between our loved one and the disease,” she said. “It’s very real, and it lies, it’s savage.”
Ashley’s sister, Wynonna Judd, 59, spoke with ET in April 2023 at the CMT Music Awards, just a few weeks before the first anniversary of Naomi’s death, where she took the stage to perform “I Want To Know What Love Is” with Ashley McBryde.
“I’m going to use my time to talk to anyone out there who is struggling,” Wynonna told ET on the carpet, ahead of her performance. ”It’s an opportunity to help somebody.”
“It’s a bittersweet time,” Wynonna continued, who, at the time, was also looking forward to her granddaughter’s first birthday in a matter of weeks. “I’ve got both agony and ecstasy happening.”
If you or someone you know is considering suicide, please contact the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-TALK (8255), text “STRENGTH” to the Crisis Text Line at 741-741 or go to suicidepreventionlifeline.org.
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