Ashley Judd Reveals Final Words with Mom Naomi Judd: “It’s Okay to Let Go”

In an emotional revelation, Ashley Judd has shared the final, heartbreaking moments she spent with her mother, legendary country singer Naomi Judd, before her tragic death by suicide in April 2022.

During a deeply personal television special titled The Judd Family: Truth Be Told, Ashley, 57, opened up about Naomi’s final hours, including the text message that changed everything: “pls help.”

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A Cry for Help

Ashley rushed to Naomi’s Tennessee home that morning, where she found her mother pacing the kitchen, visibly distressed and expressing suicidal thoughts.

“She was uncomfortable in her body… she told me she didn’t want to be here anymore,” Ashley recalled, holding back tears.

Despite Naomi’s long battle with mental illness, including bipolar disorder and PTSD, Ashley revealed her mother had shared the reasons she held on for as long as she did — and one of them was Ashley herself.

“I said, ‘You don’t have to worry about me, Mom. I’m okay.’ And she really clocked that in a deep way,” she said.

The Moment Everything Changed

Ashley followed Naomi upstairs, calling out to her. When she received no response, she entered her mother’s room — and discovered the unimaginable.

“I saw that she had harmed herself,” Ashley painfully recounted.

For the next 30 minutes, she sat by her mother’s side, holding her hand, talking to her, breathing with her, and offering peace in those final moments.

“I told her it’s okay. I’ve seen how much you’ve been suffering… I told her how much I loved her. She was so soft. She smelled so pretty,” Ashley shared, her voice breaking.

A Family’s Honest Grief

In a public statement after Naomi’s death, the Judd family said:

“We have always shared openly both the joys of being family as well as its sorrows… Naomi was dogged by an unfair foe.”

They added that Naomi’s struggles mirrored those of millions of Americans living with mental health conditions, shining a spotlight on the need for more awareness, treatment access, and support.

Autopsy Confirmed Suicide

An autopsy confirmed that Naomi Judd died of a self-inflicted gunshot wound. She was 76.

A Call for Compassion and Help

This heartbreaking story is a stark reminder that mental health struggles can affect even those who seem to have it all. If you or someone you know is struggling, don’t wait to seek help.

📞 Call or Text: 988 – Suicide & Crisis Lifeline
🌐 Chat Online: 988lifeline.org