You might think, “Hey, he’s a reality star, he owes us the details!” Nope. He’s been incredibly protective of this story, and honestly, good on him.
Joey Essex stuns viewers with bravery as he relives mum’s suicide
He’s said in interviews that he felt shame for a long time. Shame that he didn’t “fix” her. Shame that people would judge. It’s a messed-up thing to carry.
But over the years, he’s opened up little by little. He even did a documentary called Joey Essex: Grief and Me. It’s raw, it’s real, and it’s gut-wrenching.
The Moment That Broke the Ice
One of the most powerful things he shared? That he used to blame himself. He thought if he’d been a better son, she’d have stayed. Break. My. Heart.
Obviously, that’s not how depression works. But tell that to a ten-year-old boy. He didn’t have the tools to understand it.
Now, he uses his platform to talk about mental health. He’s basically saying, “It’s okay to not be okay, and it’s okay to ask for help.” It’s a massive shift from the old stigma.
