Billy Joel has revealed that he attempted suicide twice in his early 20s after an affair that left him with a severely guilty conscience and a bloody nose.
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The premiere for Billy Joel's documentary Billy Joel: And So It Goes was shown on June 4 at the Tribeca Festival in New York City. Unfortunately, the "Piano Man" was absent due to his rare brain condition.
Per PEOPLE, a shocking event in his life was revealed in the first half of the documentary. One that will be available on HBO in July.
It turns out that Billy Joel tried to commit suicide after the affair he had with his best friend's wife.
In 1969, Billy Joel and Jon Small were in a band called Attila. While in the band, Billy Joel lived with Jon Small, his wife, Elizabeth Small, and their son. However, Billy Joel would quickly fall in love with Small's wife.
And they got into an affair.
"Bill and I spent a lot of time together," Elizabeth, who would later marry Billy Joel in 1973, said in the documentary. Before long, Small figured something was going on, and Billy Joel openly admitted it.
"I'm in love with your wife," he brazenly said, earning him a punch to his nose. The guilt from this event caused him to spiral.
Billy Joel Attempted To "End It All" Twice
"I felt very, very guilty about it. They had a child. I felt like a homewrecker."
Joel continued, "I had no place to live. I was sleeping in laundromats and I was depressed I think to the point of almost being psychotic."
"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," he explained.
Billy Joel's sister, Judy Molinari, was able to hook up her desperate brother with sleeping pills thanks to working as a medical assistant. When he took the lot in a suicide attempt, however, she felt she'd killed him.
"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.
Unfortunately, Billy Joel would attempt again, this time by drinking "lemon Pledge." It was Jon Small who would save him this time with another emergency trip to the hospital. "Even though our friendship was blowing up, Jon saved my life," Joel said.
After the attempts, Billy Joel thankfully checked himself into an observation ward for a couple of weeks. An experience that set him down the right path.
If you are in crisis, please know you are not alone, and help is available. You can connect with people who can support you by calling or texting 988 anytime in the US and its territories to reach the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline.
