In the emotional new Hulu documentary It’s All Country, Wynonna Judd bravely opens up about the devastating loss of her mother, Naomi Judd. Her words reflect the profound pain and grief she's endured following her mom's suicide. It's a story of heartbreak, resilience, and the journey toward healing.
Wynonna Shares Her Grief With Luke Bryan
Wynonna, now 60, revealed her raw emotions to host Luke Bryan in the third episode of It’s All Country, which premiered on Hulu on November 15. She described the overwhelming sorrow she felt after losing her mom. "When mom died, I felt like I was dying every single day," Wynonna explained. "Every breath was heavy, and I felt like I couldn’t get a deep enough breath. It was like, 'Am I gonna make it through this?' I thought I was going to die of a broken heart. Some mornings, I literally couldn’t get out of bed. The weight of it all was just so heavy."
A Heartfelt Moment
The iconic singer of "Mama He’s Crazy" shared a deeply personal moment from that tragic day. "I saw my mother after it happened," Wynonna recounted. "I saw her body, and I kissed her on the forehead and closed her eyes. I told her I loved her and walked away. That moment made me work harder on my own mental health because it didn’t work for her. I still can’t believe she’s gone."
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Naomi's Tragic Passing
Naomi Judd tragically took her own life at her home in Leiper’s Fork, Tennessee. It was later confirmed that she suffered a self-inflicted gunshot wound on April 30, 2022, just one day before she was set to be inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame. Wynonna and her sister Ashley Judd released a heart-wrenching statement following the news. "Today we sisters experienced a tragedy," they said. "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."
A Tribute to Naomi
Despite her immense pain, Wynonna accepted the Hall of Fame honor in her mother’s place. "I’m gonna make this fast because my heart’s broken, and I feel so blessed," she said during the ceremony. "It’s a strange dynamic to be this broken and blessed. Though my heart’s broken, I will continue to sing because that’s what we do." Wynonna, who was one half of the legendary duo The Judds with her late mother, told Luke Bryan, "It’s heartbreaking to know that my mother ended her life the way she did."
Finding Strength in Darkness
Wynonna emphasized the importance of acknowledging one’s struggles. "It’s okay to not be okay," she shared. "When my mother died, I had to make a decision: Was I going to be better or bitter? I went into a deep, deep darkness, and I had to pull myself out. I realized, 'You are not the only one going through this.' I decided that instead of complaining and feeling sad, I would use it to write songs. I wrote a song called 'Broken and Blessed' about mom, and in it, I wrote, 'I’m somewhere between hell and hallelujah.' And that’s where I live now."
Connecting With Naomi
Wynonna revealed that her mother’s ashes were spread on her "beautiful farmland." "I talk to her all the time," Wynonna said. "And I walk on that farm, Luke, like it’s heaven on Earth. And that’s a good day. But there are days when I walk in the wilderness, and I’ll be honest with you, I cry from the deepest part of who I am." Wynonna’s words reflect her ongoing journey of healing and her enduring connection to her beloved mother.
