Ashley Judd, who is grieving the loss of her mother, recently experienced another leg fracture that she describes as a “freak accident.”
During a Zoom interview with UCLA professor Dr. Jonathan Flint, as part of an Open Mind lecture series, Judd revealed the injury.
The fracture occurred in her femoral condyle over the summer, less than two years after she fell while hiking in the Democratic Republic of Congo.
In February 2021, she suffered a catastrophic injury from tripping over a fallen tree, resulting in a shattered leg and a challenging rescue and recovery process.
In comparison, the recent fracture was less severe and healed quickly within two months.
Judd explained to Flint that she believes clumsiness is associated with grief, as other family members also experienced accidents and falls after her mother’s death.
The incident allowed her to take time to grieve and shift her focus from work.
Judd’s mother, Naomi Judd, died on April 30 from a self-inflicted gunshot wound at her home in Tennessee.
Ashley revealed that she was the one who discovered her mother after the incident.
During the online event, Judd mentioned that an internet outage at her house led her to go to her parents’ house for Wi-Fi access, where her partner, Martin Surbeck, joined her.
The conversation between Judd and Flint covered various topics related to her personal history, including intergenerational trauma, childhood molestation, recovery, spirituality, coping mechanisms, and dealing with online criticism.
Judd also discussed how she processed her mother’s death and emphasized the importance of her chosen sisters and community in supporting her during that difficult time.
Despite the challenges she has faced, Judd reported that she is doing well at present.
She mentioned consulting with her wisdom teacher, who commented on her grounded and centered demeanor.
While she didn’t elaborate on the “legal piece” related to her family, rumors suggest that Naomi’s death caused a rift between Ashley and her sister, Wynonna.
However, Wynonna denied any such conflict and expressed their love and support for each other.
Judd also addressed comments about her weight gain, which she attributed to her leg injury and grieving process.
She acknowledged the existence of misogyny in society and emphasized that she has a healthy boundary regarding people’s opinions of her appearance.
Judd believes that self-esteem should come from within and that one’s identity needs to be self-generated and self-validated.
Reflecting on her experience in the public eye, Judd offered valuable lessons.
She stressed the importance of healthy boundaries for mental health and emphasized that she cannot control other people’s opinions of her.
The core values are established with intimate friends and trusted advisors, and the rest is just noise.
Overall, Judd’s interview provided insights into her personal journey of grief, resilience, and self-acceptance.
Despite the challenges she has faced, she continues to navigate life with strength and grace.
