Wynonna Judd remains hopeful that her estranged daughter, Grace Kelley, is open to an eventual reconciliation.
“If Grace wants back in my life, I’m ready,” Judd, 62, said on the Wednesday, October 28, episode of Hoda Kotb’s “Making Space” podcast. “I love her dearly, and I miss her with every second of every breath that I take as a mom. I’m devastated, but I also know that she’s got to figure it out for herself.”
Judd, who shares Grace and son Elijah with ex-husband Arch Kelley III, is currently estranged from her 30-year-old daughter, who is now serving a prison sentence in Harrisonburg, Virginia, after pleading guilty to the felony charge of driving with a suspended license in June. (Us broke the news in August that a judge denied Grace’s motion for a temporary furlough amid her pregnancy with baby No. 2. Court documents noted that she was expecting her child “on or about August 16.” )
“I got the greatest advice from my life coach. He said, ‘If she’s in prison, go see her,’” Judd, who is raising Grace’s 4-year-old daughter, said on Wednesday’s episode. “‘If she wants to see you, show up to the best of your ability as long as you’re safe … but be available.’ And, I’m available.”
For Judd, she “absolutely” believes that the estranged mother-daughter duo can mend fences.
“I am going to be one of those that will die hoping,” she stated. “I’m going to go see her at some point. I’m gonna go see her, and I’m gonna do it with as much presence as I can in this situation because I used to go visit her a lot.”
Judd’s new song “Drive” from her new album, The Hard Truth, was written about her previous trips to visit Grace behind bars.
“It’s [about] me driving to see her in prison, and I did it every week by myself,” she explained. “It was important for me to show up for my daughter and, when she’s not sober, obviously I have to set a boundary and say now, and that’s really hard.”
Grace has been arrested multiple times over the years for various drug-related charges and violating parole before her most recent incarceration. Through it all, Judd has long tried to support her daughter.
“She’s got an addiction to meth, and it’s devastating,” Judd told People last month. “I miss her desperately, and I’ve missed out on a lot of years because of the drug addiction. I’ve spent half a million dollars on programs trying to do the right thing, trying to do the next right thing. And meth is a bitch. It’s unlike anything I’ve ever experienced, and I just can’t believe it.”
She continued at the time, “As a mother of an addict, I can tell you this: When the money stops, they usually cut you off because there’s no more money. And I’ve done everything I can do. … She’s 30. There comes a point when you can’t blame anymore. You have to take a look at yourself.”
If you or someone you know is struggling with substance abuse, contact the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) National Helpline at 1-800-662-HELP (4357).
