Ashley Judd Honors Mother Naomi On First Mother’s Day Since Her Passing

Just over one week after the country music legend Naomi Judd’s reported committed suicide at the age of 76, her daughter Ashley Judd was forced to celebrate her first Mother’s Day without her. 

In an op-ed published by USA Today on Friday, Ashley opened up about how she planned to celebrate this difficult holiday without her mother for the first time. 

‘My Mama Was An Extraordinary Parent’

“My mama was an extraordinary parent under duress: She showed my sister and me the power of having a voice and using it, and there has been no greater lesson,” Ashley wrote. 

“But motherhood happened to her without her consent,” she added. “She experienced an unintended pregnancy at age 17, and that led her down a road familiar to so many adolescent mothers, including poverty and gender-based violence.”

Naomi had bravely been open about her struggles with mental health, revealing her suicidal depression to the world in her 2016 book “River of Time: My Descent into Depression and How I Emerged with Hope.”

Related: Naomi Judd’s Alleged Cause Of Death Revealed – It’s Heartbreaking

‘My Mama Was A Legend’

“My mama was a legend,” Ashley wrote. “She was an artist and a storyteller, but she had to fight like hell to overcome the hand she was dealt, to earn her place in history. She shouldn’t have had to fight that hard to share her gifts with the world.

“This Mother’s Day, I choose to honor my mama for the person she was, a mother and so much more,” the actress added. “And I ask you to honor your own mother, if you are lucky enough to have her. Honor her for more than her labor and sacrifice. Honor her for her talents and dreams. Honor her by demanding a world where motherhood, everywhere, is safe, healthy — and chosen.”

Ashley and her older sister, country music star Wynonna Judd, announced Naomi’s passing hours after her death last week. 

“Today we sisters experienced a tragedy,” they said in a statement. “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.”

Related: Naomi Judd’s Granddaughter In Prison Won’t Attend Funeral

Naomi Was Set To Tour This Year 

Naomi and Wynonna were set to take the stage together one last time later this year on their “The Final Tour,” which was scheduled to begin on September 28, according to Fox News. It’s unclear at this time whether or not this tour will still be happening, with the Judd family saying that they want to be “respectful” to Naomi’s legacy.

“They want to be respectful and representative of their legacy, but more importantly as to what Naomi would have wanted for her family and fans,” said a source close to the family. 

What happened to Naomi Judd was an unspeakable tragedy, and she will be dearly missed by her millions of fans for many years to come. Please join us in saying a prayer for her family and friends during this difficult time.