Billy Joel has opened up about a past struggle with his mental health and the two times he tried to take his own life following an affair.
The singer, 76, who recently cancelled his upcoming concerts due to a brain condition, makes the admission in the Billy Joel: And So It Goes documentary per People.
Joel once fell in love with Elizabeth Weber, the wife of his Attila bandmate Jon Small, in his early 20s after he’d moved in with the couple and their son at the time.
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In the documentary, it was revealed that the pair grew closer and when Small caught on to the affair, Joel told him: “I’m in love with your wife.”
“I felt very, very guilty about it. They had a child. I felt like a homewrecker,” Joel said.
“I was just in love with a woman and I got punched in the nose which I deserved. Jon was very upset. I was very upset.”
The affair saw Joel and Small’s band split and with their friendship in turmoil, Joel began to spiral.
“I was sleeping in laundromats and I was depressed I think to the point of almost being psychotic,” Joel continued. And So It Goes.
“So I figured, ‘That’s it. I don’t want to live anymore.’ I was just in a lot of pain and it was sort of like why hang out, tomorrow is going to be just like today is and today sucks.
“So, I just thought I’d end it all.”
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Joel said he attempted suicide twice, one of which saw him end up in a coma.
During the second attempt, it was Small who rushed Joel to hospital to get help.
“Even though our friendship was blowing up, Jon saved my life,” Joel said.
Legends of the music world, then and now
Joel eventually checked himself into an “observation ward,” which he says was life-changing for him.
He began to turn his life around, channeling his energy into his life and music.
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Joel and Elizabeth Weber went on to marry in 1973. She was his first wife.
Weber attended the Tribeca premiere of his film And So It Goes in Manhattan on Wednesday, alongside her son Sean whom she welcomed during her marriage to Small.
They split in 1982, and he went on to marry model Christie Brinkley in 1985.
He is now married to wife Alexis Roderick, who he wed in 2015.
Following his diagnosis with normal pressure hydrocephalus (NPH), Roderick shared a statement on Instagram thanking fans for support.
“We are so grateful for the wonderful care and swift diagnosis we received. Bill is beloved by so many, and to us, he is a father and husband who is at the center of our world. We are hopeful for his recovery,” it read in part.
If you or someone you know is in need of support contact Lifeline on 13 11 14 or Beyond Blue. In the event of an emergency dial Triple Zero (000).
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