logo
Billy Joel attempted suicide twice after affair with best friend's wife

Billy Joel attempted suicide twice after affair with best friend's wife

Daily Mirror3 days ago

In his new documentary, Billy Joel: And So It Goes, the iconic musician recounts a dark chapter of his early life marked by heartbreak, betrayal, and two suicide attempts
Music legend Billy Joel has revealed he attempted suicide twice in his early twenties, following a turbulent affair with a friend's wife that left him in a coma. The revelations are featured in the new documentary Billy Joel: And So It Goes , where the 76-year-old speaks candidly about the events that drove him to the brink.
The affair began while Joel was living with his bandmate Jon Small, Jon's wife Elizabeth Weber, and their child. Joel and Weber grew close, with Elizabeth describing their relationship as a 'slow build.' She would later marry Joel, with the couple together from 1973 to 1982.

Joel, who has recently been diagnosed with brain cancer, eventually confessed his feelings to Small. 'I was in love,' he said. The fallout was immediate and painful. 'I felt very, very guilty about it. They had a child. I felt like a homewrecker. I was just in love with a woman and I got punched in the nose which I deserved,' he admitted. 'Jon was very upset. I was very upset.'

The confrontation ended their band, Attila , and destroyed the men's friendship. Weber left, and Joel's mental health deteriorated rapidly. 'I had no place to live. I was sleeping in laundromats and I was depressed I think to the point of almost being psychotic,' he said. 'So I figured, 'That's it. I don't want to live anymore.''
Joel's sister, Judy Molinari, who was working as a medical assistant at the time, had given him sleeping pills to help him rest. 'But Billy decided that he was going to take all of them… he was in a coma for days and days and days,' she recalled tearfully. 'I went to go see him in the hospital, and he was laying there white as a sheet. I thought that I'd killed him.'
Even after recovering, Joel considered another attempt. He drank a bottle of lemon Pledge and was rushed to the hospital by Small. 'Even though our friendship was blowing up, Jon saved my life,' Joel reflected.
Small later forgave him. '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,' he said.

Following his second suicide attempt, Joel checked himself into a psychiatric observation ward. The experience, he said, reshaped his life. 'I got out… and I thought to myself, you can utilise all those emotions to channel that stuff into music.'
Joel would go on to become one of the best-selling artists of all time but his pain would ultimately become the source of his greatest art. His biggest hits include Piano Man, New York State of Mind, and Just The Way You Are.
If you're struggling and need to talk, the Samaritans operate a free helpline open 24/7 on 116 123. Alternatively, you can email jo@samaritans.org or visit their site to find your local branch.

Orange background

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Comments

No comments yet...

Related Articles

Billy Joel says 'I'm not dying' after cancelling tour due to brain condition
Billy Joel says 'I'm not dying' after cancelling tour due to brain condition

Daily Record

timea day ago

  • Daily Record

Billy Joel says 'I'm not dying' after cancelling tour due to brain condition

The music legend's Murrayfield Stadium gig was due to take place on June 6, but was cancelled along with the rest of Joel's tour due to his health. Billy Joel was forced to cancel his entire 2025 tour, having been diagnosed with a brain disorder known as normal pressure hydrocephalus (NPH). The star was due to take the stage at Murrayfield Stadium on June 6, a gig which had previously been postponed to give him time to recover from surgery. The 'Uptown Girl' singer has been diagnosed with NPH, which is a condition that causes a build-up of fluid in the brain. The 76-year-old's team shared a statement with fans on May 23, apologising for the cancellation of his tour. ‌ It said that his brain condition"has been exacerbated by recent concert performances, leading to problems with hearing, vision, and balance.' And the singer added: "I am sincerely sorry to disappoint our audience and thank you for understanding.' ‌ However, since then the star has been quiet, and was notably absent from the screening of his new documentary 'Billy Joel: And So It Goes' last Wednesday, June 4, at Tribeca Film Festival. Despite his absence, he relayed a message to the crowd through the film's co-director, Susan Lacy. 'We know Billy wishes he were here tonight, and he asked us to convey that to you all. "In fact, he said, 'Getting old sucks, but it's preferable to getting cremated,'' Lacy told the audience, reported Deadline. He also assured his fans that 'he will be back.' ‌ The two founders of Tribeca Film Festival- Robert De Niro and Jane Rosenthal- also acknowledged Joel's health condition and absence. Rosenthal said: 'Billy wanted to be with us tonight, but as you may have heard, he's dealing with a health issue and had to postpone his performances, including this one tonight. ‌ "We know you will join us in wishing him a speedy recovery.' De Niro added: 'He's our piano man, a wonderful, integral part of the heartbeat of our city. "Tonight, we get to see the man behind the music and behind the legend. You're in for a real treat.' ‌ According to outlet NJ, radio host Howard Stern recently had a conversation with Billy Joel, in which the star urged him to let fans know that he 'is not dying'. During a recent episode of The Howard Stern Show on Sirius XM, Stern discussed a recent dinner he had with Joel. Stern said: 'He does have issues. But he said to me- so I'm not saying anything crazy- 'Yeah, you can tell people: I'm not dying.' He wants people to know that. "He's got to deal with some medical stuff. But he was delightful. We had a great time with the wives. Billy's doing okay.' Join the Daily Record WhatsApp community! Get the latest news sent straight to your messages by joining our WhatsApp community today. You'll receive daily updates on breaking news as well as the top headlines across Scotland. No one will be able to see who is signed up and no one can send messages except the Daily Record team. All you have to do is click here if you're on mobile, select 'Join Community' and you're in! If you're on a desktop, simply scan the QR code above with your phone and click 'Join Community'. We also treat our community members to special offers, promotions, and adverts from us and our partners. If you don't like our community, you can check out any time you like. To leave our community click on the name at the top of your screen and choose 'exit group'.

EastEnders' Vicki is disturbed as shocking new secret about Joel is revealed
EastEnders' Vicki is disturbed as shocking new secret about Joel is revealed

Metro

timea day ago

  • Metro

EastEnders' Vicki is disturbed as shocking new secret about Joel is revealed

EastEnders' Vicki Fowler (Alice Haig) is disturbed after finding out a shocking secret about her partner Ross Marshall's (Alex Walkinshaw) son Joel (Max Murray) next week. It was recently confirmed that teenager Joel will take feature in a dark incel plot, having arrived in Walford with Ross and Vicki hiding a huge secret earlier this year. It was later revealed that while still living in Australia, Joel had upskirted one of his schoolmates and shared the photo online. Ross paid the family off to prevent them going to the police, but they demanded that Joel did not return to Sydney. While Ross and Vicki hoped that Joel had changed his ways since moving onto Albert Square, his behaviour has only worsened, having recorded himself and Avani Nandra-Hart (Aaliyah James) having sex without her consent. While Avani remains unaware of the video's existence, she has been on the receiving end of online trolling after word spread around Walford High that she and Joel had slept together. In scenes to air this week, Amy Mitchell (Ellie Dadd) reveals to Vicki that Joel is the reason Avani is getting more abusive messages, as he shamed Avani for sleeping with him. A disgusted Vicki informs partner Ross about her discovery, and the couple agree that Joel needs more positive male role models in his life. More Trending While they hope his friendship with Tommy Moon (Sonny Kendall) will be good for him, little do they know that he recently encouraged Tommy to pay for adult content using Alfie Moon's (Shane Richie) credit card. Want to be the first to hear shocking EastEnders spoilers? Who's leaving Coronation Street? The latest gossip from Emmerdale? Join 10,000 soaps fans on Metro's WhatsApp Soaps community and get access to spoiler galleries, must-watch videos, and exclusive interviews. Simply click on this link, select 'Join Chat' and you're in! Don't forget to turn on notifications so you can see when we've just dropped the latest spoilers! Things take an even darker turn later in the week, as Joel shows Tommy a video by a social media influencer who says derogatory things about women. With Tommy falling under Joel's toxic influence, will Vicki and Ross uncover the full extent of his behaviour before things get even more serious? View More » EastEnders airs these scenes from Monday 9 June at 7.30pm on BBC One or stream first from 6am on iPlayer. MORE: All 46 EastEnders pictures for next week as cheating crisis strikes MORE: Dark EastEnders scenes as Joel makes horror move in story with Tommy MORE: All 69 EastEnders pictures for next week as unexpected custody battle is ignited

Gallery: Highland Pride draws crowds to the heart of Inverness
Gallery: Highland Pride draws crowds to the heart of Inverness

Press and Journal

time2 days ago

  • Press and Journal

Gallery: Highland Pride draws crowds to the heart of Inverness

Highland Pride took place on Saturday June 7, and was a vibrant celebration of diversity, inclusion and the LGBTQ+ community across the Highlands. Hundreds joined the colourful parade through Inverness city centre, marching from Falcon Square to Eden Court with banners, music, and loads of energy. The Pride Paddlers passed under the bridge just as the parade crossed over it, and a flashmob-style dance outside Eden Court closed the parade on a high. At Eden Court, people could explore a fire engine with local firefighters, take part in sports demos including badminton, disc golf, football and paddling, and chat to groups like Nature Days and the Samaritans. Later in the day, the celebration continued inside the Empire Theatre from 2.30pm, with speeches from Emma Roddick MSP, Cllr Sarah Fanet, and Lady Carbisdale, each highlighting different aspects of LGBTQ+ activism. There were also brilliant performances from Venus GuyTrap, Dashh, and Sugar Browne. P&J photographer was there to capture all the best moments.

DOWNLOAD THE APP

Get Started Now: Download the App

Ready to dive into the world of global news and events? Download our app today from your preferred app store and start exploring.
app-storeplay-store