Naomi Judd, who died on April 30, 2022, was set to be inducted in the Country Music Hall
of Fame on May 1st.
Prior to her mom's death, Judd's daughter and collaborator Wynonna wrote a revealing
final Instagram post.
What she wrote may surprise you.
When Naomi Judd died after a long struggle with mental illness, Wynonna didn't just lose
a parent; she lost a longtime collaborator who helped her create some of the biggest
hits of her career.
Wynonna and her sister, actor Ashley Judd, described how the loss shook them to the core
in a statement on Instagram.
The sisters wrote in the post:
"Today we sisters experienced a tragedy.
We lost our beautiful mother to the disease of mental illness.
We are shattered.
We are navigating profound grief and know that as we loved her, she was loved by her
public.
We are in unknown territory."
During their years performing as The Judds in the '80s and early '90s, Naomi and Wynonna
produced a long string of No. 1 Hot Country Songs, including "Mama He's Crazy" and "Girls
Night Out."
They split up in 1991 when Naomi learned that she had hepatitis C, and after they appeared
together on the 2011 reality series The Judds, their relationship hit a rough patch.
"It's the most complex relationship in the universe, the mother-daughter…
parent-child relationship.
Period."
But the duo who sang about how "Love Can Build a Bridge" eventually mended their relationship
and were set to be recognized together for their contributions to country music.
Wynonna and Naomi were set to be inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame on May
1; before that, Wynonna's Instagram post about the event turned into an online memorial to
her mother.
In the comments section, tributes began flooding in as soon as fans heard the news about Naomi's
tragic death.
One comment read:
"Deepest condolences on the loss of our beloved Queen of Everything."
Another fan wrote:
"So very sorry for your loss."
The post has since been deleted, but it briefly brought the Judds' fanbase together to say
goodbye to a music icon.
But the relationship between the Judds themselves may have been more distant than people expect.
Even after it was announced that the duo would be honored by the Country Music Hall of Fame,
in a November 2021 interview with KVRR, Wynonna said of her mom,
"We don't really communicate right now."
But on April 11, she and Naomi reunited for a performance at the CMT Music Awards, where
they sang "Love Can Build a Bridge."
Ahead of the reunion, Wynonna told the Associated Press,
"Music is the bridge between mom and me, and it bonds us together."
Naomi Judd's death has left her two daughters devastated, in addition to rocking the world
of country music and breaking the hearts of thousands of fans.
Naomi had been candid and open about her lifelong struggle with depression and anxiety.
She even wrote a tell-all book about her terrifying and turbulent battle with mental illness.
In River of Time: My Descent into Depression and How I Emerged with Hope, Naomi admitted
that her depression became so severe at times that she had even contemplated taking her
own life.
She said her mental health issues stemmed from being molested by "a close family member"
when she was a young child.
Naomi told Robin Roberts in a 2016 Good Morning America interview:
"I think that's one of the reasons I wanted to write the book [...] because I never acknowledged
all the bad stuff that people did to me."
Naomi Judd wasn't the only family member who suffered sexual abuse as a child.
Both of her daughters have also talked about being molested when young.
Ashley Judd wrote about being abused in her memoir, All That is Bitter and Sweet.
The book's summary shares that Ashley struggled with trauma for years, and even came close
to taking her own life before finally entering treatment in 2006.
Wynonna Judd also spoke out about her childhood abuse in her memoir.
Coming Home to Myself is described as a story of "survival, strength, family, and forgiveness."
In the book, Wynonna details her often troubled and turbulent relationship with her mom, whom
she performed with for over three decades.
Things became so bad that, at one point, the mom-and-daughter duo became estranged from
each other.
Naomi admitted during her 2016 sit-down with Robin Roberts:
"I love her but there are just times we need a break from each other.”
If you or someone you know is struggling with mental health, please contact the Crisis Text
Line by texting HOME to 741741, call the National Alliance on Mental Illness helpline at 1-800-950-NAMI
(6264), or visit the National Institute of Mental Health website.