Billy Joel Reveals 2 Suicide Attempts and Coma in Early 20s” width=”400″ height=”225″ data-fallback-img=”/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/Billy-Joel-Reveals-2-Suicide-Attempts-and-Coma-in-Early-20s-2185393264.jpg?quality=86&strip=all”/>New York, NY – June 6, 2024 – Billy Joel has publicly shared harrowing details of his struggles with depression and two suicide attempts during his early twenties in the new documentary, Billy Joel: And So It Goes, which premiered at the Tribeca Festival on June 4th. The film,directed by Frank Marshall,offers an intimate look into the singer-songwriter’s life and career.
The documentary reveals Joel, now 76, experienced a period of intense emotional turmoil leading to two separate suicide attempts and a subsequent coma. Specific details surrounding the incidents, including the exact dates and locations, were shared within the film, offering a raw and vulnerable account of his mental health journey. The film also touches upon a prior accidental poisoning with furniture polish in 1977, which led to a brief hospitalization.
the revelations come as Joel navigates a recent health challenge: a diagnosis of normal pressure hydrocephalus (NPH) in May 2024, which prompted the cancellation of his remaining concert dates for 2025. NPH is a neurological condition affecting approximately 375,000 people in the United States annually, according to the Hydrocephalus Association.
His ex-wife, Christie Brinkley, with whom he shares daughter Alexa ray Joel, 38, offered insight into their current relationship. “But, he has a wife and he has children and, right now, he’s struggling with something that’s … that’s a big thing,” Brinkley stated. “So [our relationship is] as close as it needs to be for two people who decided to divorce 40 years ago.”
Brinkley also emphasized the importance of Joel’s relationship with their son, Jack paris Joel, 42, and his grandchildren. She noted that despite living on opposite coasts – Joel in Florida and Brinkley in California – their family connection remains strong.
If you or someone you know is struggling or in crisis, help is available. Call or text 988 or chat at 988lifeline.org.
