Billy Joel's Heartbreaking Confession: Two Suicide Attempts and a Coma
BILLY JOEL UNVEILS HIS DARKEST SECRETS: FROM SUICIDE ATTEMPTS TO AFFAIR-INDUCED COMA
In a shocking revelation, music legend Billy Joel opens up about his tumultuous life in an upcoming HBO documentary, "Billy Joel: And So It Goes." The six-part series, which premiered at the Tribeca Festival in New York City, leaves viewers stunned as Joel recounts his struggles with depression, infidelity, and addiction.
At just 20 years old, Billy Joel was living with his bandmate Jon Small and his wife Elizabeth Weber. However, things took a dark turn when he began an affair with Weber, leaving his best friend feeling betrayed and hurt. "I felt like a homewrecker," Joel confessed in the documentary. "Jon was very upset, and I was very upset." The fallout ultimately led to the demise of Attila, and Joel's friendship with Small never recovered.
The heartbreak had devastating consequences for Joel, who spiraled into depression and eventually attempted suicide twice. In a candid interview with his sister Judy Molinari, he revealed that he took a massive dose of sleeping pills in an attempt to escape his pain. "I was just in a lot of pain and it was sort of like, why hang out?" he said. "Tomorrow's going to be just like today, and today sucks." Miraculously, Joel survived the overdose but fell into a coma for several days.
Molinari recalled visiting her brother in the hospital, where she found him lying in bed, pale and unresponsive. "I thought I'd killed him," she said. Joel's fixation on self-destruction didn't end there – he became fixated on making another attempt. This time, it involved drinking a bottle of Lemon Pledge furniture polish.
It was Jon Small who saved Joel from himself – despite their fractured friendship. "Even though our friendship was blowing up, Jon saved my life," Joel said. Small reflected on why the betrayal may have hit Joel so hard: "He never really said anything to me... The only practical answer I can give as to why Billy took it so hard was because he loved me that much and that it killed him to hurt me that much."
After his second attempt, Joel voluntarily checked himself into an observation ward. He spent two weeks there, where he would eventually find the inspiration for some of his most iconic songs. His 1971 debut album "Cold Spring Harbor" would go on to become a masterpiece, with tracks like "She's Got a Way" and "The Stranger" inspired by Elizabeth Weber.
The romance between Joel and Weber continued, with her even becoming his manager after they married in 1973. However, their relationship ultimately fell apart due to Joel's escalating substance abuse. Weber left both as his manager and wife around the time of his 1982 motorcycle accident.
Today, Billy Joel is facing a new challenge – battling a brain condition called normal pressure hydrocephalus (NPH). The 76-year-old music legend has been open about his struggles with hearing loss, vision problems, and balance issues. "He does have issues, but he said, 'Yeah, you can tell people, I'm not dying,'" friend Howard Stern revealed on his Sirius XM show.
The documentary "Billy Joel: And So It Goes" offers a raw look into the life of a music legend who has been open about his struggles with mental health. If you or someone you know is struggling with similar challenges, remember that help is just a phone call away – text or call 988 for confidential support.
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