Anderson Cooper and Ashley Judd had a heart-to-heart recently. They were discussing their family members who tragically died by suicide.
Ashley Judd was a guest on Cooper’s CNN show, “All There is with Anderson Cooper.” It was a Wednesday. They talked about her mother, Naomi Judd, a country star who died by suicide in 2022. Naomi was 76.
Cooper, who’s 56, also opened up about his own loss. His brother Carter died by suicide in 1988 when he was just 23. The conversation nearly brought him to tears.
Judd was there for him, though. “I’m here Anderson,” she said softly, as he tried to hold back his tears.
Judd also talked about her mother’s death on the podcast. She described it as “traumatic and unexpected.” It was a suicide, and she was the one who found her.
Naomi Judd had been open about her mental health struggles. She even talked about it on “Good Morning America” in 2016. She mentioned her “extreme” and “severe depression” that led her to isolate herself.
Despite the shock of finding her mother, Judd said she was “so glad” to be there. She even spoke to her mother after discovering her. “Momma, I see how much you’ve been suffering and it is OK… I am here, and it is OK to let go,” she said.
Judd believes her mother is now in a better place. She thinks her mother “is now in the vastness of consciousness in the mind of God.” She added, “All of these mysteries which just made her daydream are now where her spirit resides.”
Judd also remembered how her mother always greeted her. No matter how deep her depression was, she would always get up to welcome her. “There’s my darling, there’s my girl, there’s my baby!” she would say. That’s how Judd remembers her mom.
If you or someone you know is affected by any of the issues raised in this story, call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 800-273-TALK (8255) or text Crisis Text Line at 741741.