Naomi Judd may be gone, but her family and fans will never forget the country music legend. The music industry stood still for a moment on April 30 when Naomi’s daughter, Ashley Judd, announced the devastating news of her death.
“Today we sisters experienced a tragedy. We lost our beautiful mother to the disease of mental illness,” Ashley tweeted, adding that she and her sister Wynonna Judd were “shattered.” The two sisters also bravely took the stage the day after their mother’s death, as the Judds were inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame.
Now, her beloved husband Larry Strickland, who she was married to for 33 years, has broken his silence about this unspeakable tragedy.
Entertainment Tonight reported that Larry addressed Naomi’s death publicly for the first time on Sunday night at CMT’s “Naomi Judd: A River of Time” memorial special.
“Namoi never met a stranger,” Larry as he stood on stage with Naomi’s two daughters, Wynonna and Ashley. “Much to my displeasure, she would start a conversation with anyone who made eye contact with her, and we would end up standing 10, 20, 30 minutes on a sidewalk while she talked to a complete stranger about their passions and their dog.”
Larry went on to reveal that Naomi had recently made a solo flight from Georgia to Nashville, explaining that it was rare for her to do that on her own. However, Naomi was determined to make the trip to Nashville in time for the Country Music Hall of Fame ceremony, which was scheduled for the day after her death.
“I was really scared to death about her flying alone all the way from Vienna back to Nashville cause I knew how fragile she was,” Larry told the crowd. “Well, she made the flight home back to Nashville without any problem.”
The man who sat next to Naomi on the flight has since emailed Larry, which the grieving widower described as being “a relief and comfort.” The man admitted that he had no idea Naomi was famous, but that the “next 90 minutes we spent in each other’s company was not only entertaining, fascinating and enlightening but for me at least, thoroughly enjoyable.”
“It’s a small comfort, I’m sure, but my life seems a lot richer after meeting your wife, however briefly,” the email read.
Larry could not help but get emotional as he read the end of the email. “Obviously, I didn’t know Naomi at all, but I can tell you she spoke highly and warmly of you, and the life you shared together,” he said through tears. “Rest assured she loved you and had no qualms about telling me, a stranger on a plane that was so.”
The stranger ended the email by saying that he hopes Larry knows the “measure and impact” Naomi had in just a brief period. Larry concluded by saying that the email was a “great, great pleasure and comfort to me.”
Naomi tragically ended her life on April 30 after being open about her mental health struggles for years. While she will be dearly missed by her family, friends, and fans, she will also never be forgotten, as she will always live on through her music.
Larry Strickland came from a religious background. His dad was a preacher, and as he grew, the singer became acquainted with gospel music which has formed a large part of his musical career.
Watch the video below for more details:
Sources: AWM, Entertainment Tonight
