The Tragedy Of Billy Ray Cyrus' Ex Firerose Gets Sadder And Sadder

The following article includes mention of domestic abuse allegations. 

Billy Ray Cyrus and Firerose's relationship was bizarre to many, and for some, there were obvious red flags that it would never last. Looking back on everything that happened, it was also downright sad, with both parties making horrific allegations against one another. 

First, let's review a brief rehash of their relationship because, as we said, there were a number of strange details way before the divorce. ICYMI, the way Billy Ray and Firerose met was pretty shady. As Firerose shared in a joint appearance with Billy Ray on "Live with Kelly and Mark," they met on the set of "Hannah Montana." Cue a gasp from the audience, though it bears to mention that she didn't actually say they were a couple at that point. More than a year later, Billy Ray told People that it was only after they'd worked together on music that they'd started seeing one another romantically. According to his timeline of events, they became friends after that initial meeting and stayed in touch. "She's the real deal," he said. Firerose also became his shoulder to cry on during the pandemic and his divorce from Tish Cyrus ... and then they started dating. However, in the wake of their split, Firerose told another story. 

Speaking to Page Six, Firerose claimed that she and Billy Ray had started dating prior to the release of their song "A New Day" in 2021. Making things more scandalous, she also told the outlet that he'd told her during those early days that he and Tish were in the process of getting a divorce, which she later realized wasn't the case when Tish filed in 2022. "I would never ever have entered into a relationship with a married man, but he was such a great manipulator," she said. In a word: yikes.

Firerose made another, even bolder claim about her now ex-husband in her interview with Page Six, pointing to Cyrus' shady side. She said that he'd kept her isolated from her loved ones. 

Firerose claimed the isolation began when she moved in with him at his Tennessee home. As for when she and Billy took the next step, she told the outlet that even their wedding guest list was strictly controlled, and that he decided not to fly her aunt and uncle to Tennessee for their nuptials, despite initially offering to. Of course, some may argue that flying them out may have proved more costly than anticipated, but Firerose's friend and wedding hair stylist, who also spoke to Page Six, debunked that. Her take? "Billy Ray didn't want her family there. He was very picky about who could come to the property," she said. In light of all that, the stylist recounted that the wedding wasn't exactly "An abundance of joy." In 2024, Firerose told Stellar that the hairstylist was her only loved one at the ceremony. "I was allowed to have her over because she was doing my hair," she said. 

Sadly, Firerose said the isolation continued after the wedding, and that Cyrus even had to approve the messages she sent to her friends or family members. "If I had to send a text, I had to read it out to him for permission. It was the same for email," she told Page Six. As for one very brief occasion when Firerose was "allowed" (ick) to have a friend over, she told Stellar that there had been conditions. "We were not allowed to sit inside. I sat with her on the hill for an hour and sort of caught up superficially," she recounted. 

When it came to Firerose's isolation, she has said that not being able to see her friends or family was just part of it. The singer also claimed that Billy Ray Cyrus' rules meant she wasn't even allowed to go about her daily life. 

Speaking to Page Six, she revealed, "I didn't have a car. I was only allowed to go to the local chiropractor and allowed once a month to get my nails done." She doubled down on that in Stellar, revealing that the isolation extended to activities like attending church, too. "You're a Cyrus now. You can't be going to church. You can't be going to public places where people could follow you home. You're going to be murdered," she recounted him telling her. As for when she was eventually allowed to drive to town to see a therapist, she claimed that when she returned home, Cyrus was furious. His concern was that she'd used the session to speak about him.

Of course, some will recall that Firerose made a handful of public appearances with her husband while they were still married. She shared with Stellar that on those occasions, she put up a front to avoid any of her loved ones seeing her and becoming concerned. "I'd often try to be overly positive as I was scared to let anyone see how devastatingly withdrawn I'd become," she said.

While the isolation and controlling behavior were red flags in themselves, another devastating allegation Firerose has made about her relationship with Billy Ray Cyrus was that he was both verbally and psychologically abusive.

Of course, the accusation of verbal abuse probably won't come as a surprise to many. After all, Firerose released a recording of one of Cyrus' tirades, and the clip went viral. Among the things said in the clip were insults to Firerose's intelligence, as well as the repeated taunt that she was, "A selfish f***ing b***h" (via RockNRoll Delivery). As for the psychological abuse she accused him of, isolation undoubtedly fell into that category. What's more, though, Firerose told Stellar that Cyrus also went through periods of ignoring her. It's possible those periods played a role in his not knowing about her first marriage (a major sticking point, as noted in his divorce filing). Firerose has told Page Six that she actually had tried to tell Cyrus about that marriage on several occasions, but that he'd shut her down.

Firerose also told Stellar that the day she and Cyrus' relationship ended, he was giving her the silent treatment. "We went to bed together, and when I woke up, he wasn't there," she told the outlet. While that wasn't surprising at first, she said that alarm bells went off when he didn't come back that night, either. Sadly, at least at the time of her October 2024 interview with Stellar, she and Cyrus have never spoken again. That would be difficult enough in itself. However, there was an added layer of hurt for Firerose: The day he iced her out for good was also the day before she was meant to undergo surgery. 

As we said, Firerose was scheduled to have surgery in May 2024. As noted by People, she was meant to have a double mastectomy — a surgery her doctors advised, as she was at risk of developing breast cancer. However, far from her marital home being a peaceful place for her to mentally prepare and recover, it ended up being the site of some serious drama. 

Court docs accessed by People saw Firerose claim that Cyrus had filed for divorce the day before the surgery. Not only that, but she also said in court documents that she'd been forced out of her and Cyrus' home immediately and that Cyrus' brother and his wife had been involved in trying to get her out of the house, knocking at her door for hours on end. It probably goes without saying that the procedure couldn't go ahead. In documents submitted to the court, Firerose's legal team wrote, "On the day Wife was set to get her surgery, she was instead searching for a place to live and under a significant amount of emotional distress."

It's worth noting that Cyrus' account of the matter differed. He claimed that he'd filed for divorce nearly two weeks before her surgery was scheduled. He also claimed that his then-wife had used the surgery to try to stop him from ending the relationship. Cyrus alleged that Firerose had threatened to "tell everyone that you did it because of the double mastectomy and your career will be over" (via USA Today). 

Though most of what's been said about Firerose has related to her divorce from Billy Ray Cyrus, one sad detail many may have heard about in passing is that she's also estranged from her parents. That came out largely as a result of Cyrus' divorce filing noting that rather than naming her parents, Stephen and Debbie Scholem on her marriage certificate, she'd listed her aunt and uncle.

The Scholems spoke to Daily Mail of the situation, but let's just say their comments weren't exactly on the warm and fuzzy side. Firerose's mom shared that neither she nor her husband attended Firerose's first wedding to David Hodges, and even added a zinger: "We were happy she kept her first married name because that's kept us out of the loop — until now." Ouch. Firerose later confirmed to Daily Mail that she and her parents didn't have a relationship. "There's a reason Firerose has been estranged from her parents for many years," her spokesperson told the outlet, hinting that the Scholems hadn't been there for her in her darker times. "She has always considered her aunt her real mother, someone she adores and who has cared for her through all of life's ups and downs," they continued. Though we're not sure that listing them on her marriage certificate was the most above-board move, it certainly does put her upset over Cyrus not flying them in for the wedding into perspective. 

Ultimately, it's clear that Firerose has gone through a ton of sadness in her life, from parental estrangement to everything that went down with Cyrus. However, as she told Stellar, she sees it as a blessing, "So that I can be living proof of God's grace." Either way, here's hoping for more healing, going forward. 

If you or someone you know is dealing with domestic abuse, you can call the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1−800−799−7233. You can also find more information, resources, and support at their website.