Multiple sources have confirmed that Naomi Judd died by suicide
on Saturday, following a long time
battle with mental illness.
She was 76 years old.
Following her death, the late country star's daughters Ashley
and Wynonna Judd announced her passing
in an emotional statement obtained by "People" saying,
quote, "Today we sisters experienced a tragedy.
We lost our beautiful mother to the disease of mental illness.
We are shattered."
They went on to admit that they are
now navigating profound grief in unknown territory.
One day later, on Sunday, Ashley and Wynonna
honored their mother at the Country
Music Hall of Fame induction in Nashville, Tennessee.
An emotional Ashley addressed the audience saying,
my mama loved you so much, and she appreciated
your love for her, and I'm sorry that she
couldn't hang on until today.
The actress added that it was her mother's fans that kept her
going in these last few years.
Prior to Sunday's event, Ashley and Wynonna
asked that the medallion ceremony
proceed as scheduled, despite Naomi's
passing just one day prior.
Naomi had been set to be honored for her contributions
to country music.
Alongside Wynonna, as mother daughter country duo the Judds,
the pair had performed together for decades,
and charted 14 number one songs, including "Mama, He's Crazy"
and "Let Me Tell You About Love."
[MUSIC - THE JUDDS, "LET ME TELL YOU ABOUT LOVE"]
Let me tell you about love.
In addition, Naomi was a longtime advocate
for mental wellness.
In 2018, her open letter for Mental Health Awareness Week
was shared exclusively with "People," in which she wrote
in part, quote, "For everyone mourning the death
of someone who committed suicide,
an inevitable question arises, why did this happen?
Unfortunately, we don't have very good answers."
She also opened up about mental health in her 2016 book,
"River of Time: My Descent Into Depression
and How I Emerged With Hope," revealing that she had suffered
from suicidal depression.
Naomi told "People" at the time, nobody can understand
it unless you've been there.
[MUSIC PLAYING]