President Joe Biden revealed that he considered suicide after his first wife, Neilia Bidenand their granddaughter died in a car accident.
During a surprise interview with Howard Stern On Friday (April 26), Joe, 81, recalled how his mental health had deteriorated significantly following the tragic incident.
“You don’t have to be crazy to commit suicide. If you’ve been to the top of the mountain, you think it’ll never be there again,” Joe said. “Before long, I was thinking about going to the Delaware Memorial (bridge) and jumping.”
Joe ultimately reversed his decision because of his sons, Handsome Biden And Hunter Biden. “I had two children,” he said. “It wasn’t like I had to kill myself. It felt like I had been to the top of the mountain and it would never happen again. You will never be okay.
Joe said he also thought about numbing his pain with alcohol at that time. His family history of alcoholismhowever, stopped Joe from drinking.
“I used to sit there and think I’m going to pull out a bottle of scotch,” he added Friday. “I’m just going to drink it and get drunk.”
The president has already spoken about how his family’s support helped him through the grieving process. In December 1972, Neilia, then aged 30, and Naomi, 13 months old, were struck by a tractor-trailer and killed. The couple’s sons, Beau Biden and Hunter Biden, were also in the car but survived the crash.
“I had an overwhelming advantage in defeat. I had very close family that was there,” Joe said in a July 2023 episode of the “On Purpose With Jay Shetty” podcast. “When I came home from the hospital, my sister (Valerie Biden) and (her) husband had already given up their apartment and moved in. (They) helped me raise my children.”
Joe was also grateful to his brothers Jim Biden And Frank Biden for staying by his side.
“They were there for me. It was a gigantic difference. My best friends in my life are my sister and my brothers. I had a huge advantage,” he continued. “When you see people going through something difficult, it’s important to reach out to them. »
In 2015, Joe publicly mourned her deceased son Beau at the age of 46 following a battle with brain cancer.
“People would stop and throw their arms around me (at church),” Joe noted in July 2023. “Because if they know you know pain, they feel like they find some comfort. It’s not always easy, but you just have to reach out.
Joe found love again after the death of his first wife with Jill Bidenwhom he married in 1977. The couple expanded their family with a daughter Ashley Biden in 1981.
“My best friend is my wife,” Joe exclaimed on the “On Purpose With Jay Shetty” podcast. “A woman who probably had more to do with my success is my sister, Valerie, and my brother Jim. I think that’s the place I go the most (for support).
If you or someone you know is struggling or in crisis, help is available. Call or text 988 or chat on 988lifeline.org.