Ashley Judd Shares Naomi Judd Cause of Death in ‘GMA’ Interview – The Hollywood Reporter

An emotional Ashley Judd opened up about her mother Naomi’s cause of death and struggle with mental illness in an interview with Diane Sawyer that aired on Thursday’s Good Morning America. The country music legend died April 30.

The actress explained that she had been “deputized” by her family to speak about what happened and shared that she was speaking out now to try to control the narrative around her mother’s death before things like the autopsy and manner of death become public, Judd said.

“She used a weapon. Mother used a firearm,” Judd said in discussing what she called “the manner in which my mother chose not to live.”

She added, “So that’s the piece of information that we are very uncomfortable sharing but understand that we’re in a position that if we don’t say it, someone else is going to.”

Judd also revealed that she found her mother on the day of her death.

“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.’”

Judd explained that she went outside to welcome a visitor and when she came back, “I went upstairs to let her know that the friend was there, and I discovered her. I have both grief and trauma from discovering her.”

Judd hopes that people “will honor the rest of the details as private,” Sawyer shared.

“My mother is entitled to her dignity and her privacy. So there are just some things that we would like to retain as a family.”

Ashley Judd noted how her mother’s death, which Ashley and sister Wynonna attributed shortly after she died to “the disease of mental illness,” came just a day before The Judds, the duo of Naomi and Wynonna, were inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame.

“Our mother couldn’t hang on until she was inducted into the Hall of Fame by her peers,” Ashley Judd said. “That is the level of catastrophe of what was going on inside of her, because the barrier between the regard in which they held her couldn’t penetrate into her heart, and the lie the disease told her was so convincing.”

The “lie,” Judd said, is “that you’re not enough, that you’re not loved, that you’re not worthy.”

She added, “Her brain hurt. It physically hurt.”

Earlier, Judd said, “My mother knew that she was seen and she was heard in her anguish and that she was walked home. 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. It’s very real, and it lies, it’s savage.”

As for her own relationship with her mother, Judd said, “I really accepted the love she was capable of giving me, because I knew she was fragile. So when I walked around the back of their house and came in the kitchen door and she said, ‘There’s my darling, there’s my baby,’ and she lit up, I savored those moments. And every time we hugged and she drank me in, I was very present for those tactile experiences because I knew there would come a time when she would be gone, whether it was sooner or whether it was later. Whether it was by the disease or by another cause.”

She continued, “She was very isolated in many ways because of the disease, but there were a lot of people who showed up for her over the years.”

While Wynonna Judd wasn’t comfortable speaking about her mother on camera, Ashley Judd read a note from her sister during the interview.

“I need to take some time to process, and I need this time to myself. I’m not ready yet to speak publicly about what happened, so I know you understand why I’m not there today. We will do this piece differently, and I’m grateful we’re connected as we walk together through this storm. I just can’t believe she’s gone. I’m here. This will take time. I love you dear sister; I’m proud of you and I’m here whenever you need me.”

The family also encouraged those who were in need of help to talk to someone and, if they need to, to call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline (1-800-273-8255) or text “TALK” to 741-741 or visit SuicidePreventionLifeline.org.

An emotional Ashley Judd opened up about her mother Naomi’s cause of death and struggle with mental illness in an interview with Diane Sawyer that aired on Thursday’s Good Morning America. The country music legend died April 30.

The actress explained that she had been “deputized” by her family to speak about what happened and shared that she was speaking out now to try to control the narrative around her mother’s death before things like the autopsy and manner of death become public, Judd said.

“She used a weapon. Mother used a firearm,” Judd said in discussing what she called “the manner in which my mother chose not to live.”

She added, “So that’s the piece of information that we are very uncomfortable sharing but understand that we’re in a position that if we don’t say it, someone else is going to.”

Judd also revealed that she found her mother on the day of her death.

“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.’”

Judd explained that she went outside to welcome a visitor and when she came back, “I went upstairs to let her know that the friend was there, and I discovered her. I have both grief and trauma from discovering her.”

Judd hopes that people “will honor the rest of the details as private,” Sawyer shared.

“My mother is entitled to her dignity and her privacy. So there are just some things that we would like to retain as a family.”

Ashley Judd noted how her mother’s death, which Ashley and sister Wynonna attributed shortly after she died to “the disease of mental illness,” came just a day before The Judds, the duo of Naomi and Wynonna, were inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame.

“Our mother couldn’t hang on until she was inducted into the Hall of Fame by her peers,” Ashley Judd said. “That is the level of catastrophe of what was going on inside of her, because the barrier between the regard in which they held her couldn’t penetrate into her heart, and the lie the disease told her was so convincing.”

The “lie,” Judd said, is “that you’re not enough, that you’re not loved, that you’re not worthy.”

She added, “Her brain hurt. It physically hurt.”

Earlier, Judd said, “My mother knew that she was seen and she was heard in her anguish and that she was walked home. 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. It’s very real, and it lies, it’s savage.”

As for her own relationship with her mother, Judd said, “I really accepted the love she was capable of giving me, because I knew she was fragile. So when I walked around the back of their house and came in the kitchen door and she said, ‘There’s my darling, there’s my baby,’ and she lit up, I savored those moments. And every time we hugged and she drank me in, I was very present for those tactile experiences because I knew there would come a time when she would be gone, whether it was sooner or whether it was later. Whether it was by the disease or by another cause.”

She continued, “She was very isolated in many ways because of the disease, but there were a lot of people who showed up for her over the years.”

While Wynonna Judd wasn’t comfortable speaking about her mother on camera, Ashley Judd read a note from her sister during the interview.

“I need to take some time to process, and I need this time to myself. I’m not ready yet to speak publicly about what happened, so I know you understand why I’m not there today. We will do this piece differently, and I’m grateful we’re connected as we walk together through this storm. I just can’t believe she’s gone. I’m here. This will take time. I love you dear sister; I’m proud of you and I’m here whenever you need me.”

The family also encouraged those who were in need of help to talk to someone and, if they need to, to call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline (1-800-273-8255) or text “TALK” to 741-741 or visit SuicidePreventionLifeline.org.