Whilst Christie Brinkley was living with Billy Joel, he was quite the drinker. It put a lot of pressure on their relationship, causing a rift that threatened to break up the family.
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In her recent memoirs, Brinkley has exposed previously private stories that he kept from the tabloids. While she was in a relationship with him, Christie Brinkley protected his privacy for herself, him, and their child. But, now, she's happy to tell all.
Speaking to the Los Angeles Times, she explained, "I was 100% dedicated to Billy, but I never told anyone about our issues, not even my friends. It was very difficult in that way, but we had a child together, and I was trying to protect the family."
Rather than air their dirty laundry, she kept quiet. But it wasn't an easy process. For 11 years Christie Brinkley made sacrifices for Billy Joel, putting up with his drinking and eventually his many public love affairs.
Billy Joel Went To Some Dark Places While Drinking
There was one part of her memories of Billy Joel that Christie Brinlkey was tempted to leave out. One particular story involved Billy Joel returning home drunk and eating a pan of pasta that had been left out. He then proceeded to forget and blame it on Christie and their daughter. In a fit of drunken rage, he kicked them both out of the house.
"I hesitated to put that scene in the book," she said. "But at the same time, it demonstrates what I was up against." Years later she is able to look back on it and share the struggle she had while living with a drunk.
Eventually, Christie Brinkley broke off the relationship with Billy Joel. His sleeping around and drinking had become too much. She explained why she held on for as long as she did. "I knew that there had to be some way to help him, and not always get to that point where this person who you love is suddenly a stranger to you."
Billy Joel drove Christie Brinkley away with his drinking, turning him into a man she didn't know. He lost her, but today they still maintain a relationship of sorts. They have a daughter, Alexa, and she keeps them together to an extent.
