The Tragic Death Of Naomi Judd

Naomi Judd is dead at the age of 76. The country singer's daughters, Wynonna and Ashley Judd, released a statement on Instagram about their mother's death that said, "Today we sisters experienced a tragedy. We lost our beautiful mother to the disease of mental illness." They further lamented, "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." While no further details about Naomi's death have been released as of publication, the sad history of the Judd Family has been known and talked about, and especially by their fans. From Ashley's distressing childhood, to allegations of spying and shocking crimes, the Judds have long made headlines for reasons that have been controversial to say the least.

However, it was Naomi's personal history with depression and some of the things she's admitted about her relationship with her daughters that people have talked about the most.

Back in 2016, Naomi Judd got very candid about her mental illness history and also admitted that she was estranged from her daughter, Wynonna. Speaking to "Good Morning America" at the time, Naomi said that what she had been through was best described as "extreme." She said (via People), "Treatment resistant because they tried me on every single thing they had in their arsenal. It really felt like, if I live through this I want someone to be able to see that they can survive." What's more, Naomi also admitted that she and Wynonna weren't speaking to one another at the time, but added, "Through the decades, we kind of grew up together ... and I'm always telling her, 'If I'd known better I would've done better.'"

That said, the country singer managed to patch things up with her daughter before her death. Naomi and Wynonna were scheduled to be inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame on May 1. And just weeks ago, the Judds performed at the CMT Awards — marking their first televised performance in two decades. 

They were also planning to hit the concert circuit again for "The Final Tour," which would have been their first tour in over 10 years. There's no word on whether Wynonna will continue with the tour. Our condolences go out to the Judd family.

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.