NEWSWynonna Judd Makes Heartbreaking Confession About Late Mom Naomi Judd: 'She Talked About Death a Lot'
Wynonna Judd opened up about her late mother Naomi Judd’s struggles before her 2022 death.
Oct. 22 2026, Published 7:31 a.m. ET
Wynonna Judd is opening up about the painful final months of her mother Naomi Judd’s life.
During an appearance on the “All There Is” podcast on Thursday, October 15, Wynonna, 62, spoke with host Anderson Cooper about her mother’s struggles and the conversations they shared before her death.
Wynonna Judd reflected on her late mother Naomi Judd’s struggles during an appearance on the ‘All There Is’ podcast.
The country singer recently reflected on the warning signs she noticed before her mom died in 2022, admitting that the tragedy did not come as a complete "surprise."
“She talked about it a lot. Even to her grandson who’s a deputy, about jumping off a bridge. She talked about it so much with me. I don’t know who else besides [sister] Ashley [Judd], but she talked about [death] a lot,” she stated.
'It Was Awful'
The country singer recalled that Naomi Judd had repeatedly spoken about death.
Wynonna also remembered trying to encourage her mother to hold on, even as she struggled to understand what Naomi was experiencing.
“She was always watching those shows on TV about stuff like that. I just remember thinking, ‘What is she doing? I don’t understand,’” Wynonna explained. “She’d call me and say, ‘I don’t want to be here anymore.’ And I’d go over and spend the night with her. It was awful.”
Looking back, Wynonna said she watched her mother’s condition become increasingly difficult to bear, as she witnessed her “really struggling in the end.”
- A Daughter's Heartbreak: Wynonna Judd Recalls Wondering If She Missed Warning Signs Of Her Mother Naomi Judd's Impending Suicide
- Ashley Judd Admits The Public Is Interfering With Her Grieving Process After Mom Naomi's Tragic Death
- Naomi Judd's Kids Spill on Country Star's Final Days in Upcoming Lifetime Documentary
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Ashley Opened Up About Finding Her Mother
Naomi Judd died on April 30, 2022, at age 76, and her daughter Ashley Judd was the one who found her.
As OK! previously reported, Naomi died on April 30, 2022, from a self-inflicted gunshot wound. She was 76 years old and left a suicide note. Her daughter Ashley, who was the one who found her, described the experience as "the most shattering day of my life."
In a public essay, Ashley reflected on the lasting emotional impact of that moment.
"The trauma of discovering and then holding her laboring body haunts my nights," she revealed, adding that Naomi didn't die instantly.
"I felt cornered and powerless as law enforcement officers began questioning me while the last of my mother’s life was fading," she shared. "I wanted to be comforting her, telling her how she was about to see her daddy and younger brother as she 'went away home,' as we say in Appalachia."
Police Report Detailed Earlier Threats
Ashley Judd later described the lasting trauma of discovering her mother and the distress she experienced that day.
According to a police report obtained by RadarOnline.com, Naomi had threatened to "kill herself a half a dozen times, guns were involved."
It also described the circumstances on the day she died: "She locked herself in her bedroom. She would threaten to shoot the people who took her [illegible]."
Following Naomi’s death, Ashley and Wynonna released an emotional joint statement reflecting on their loss and the challenges ahead.
“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,” the statement read. “We are in unknown territory.”
